The search for 22 missing crew members of Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner intensified on Tuesday after Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Varad located one of the vessel’s lifeboats in the Bay of Bengal.
The lifeboat was found at around 7 am on August 25 in the search area. A boarding team inspected it but found no survivors inside, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the missing seafarers.
Emergency Beacon Leads Coast Guard To Search Area
The development came after ICGS Varad recovered an emergency beacon believed to be associated with MV Ocean Winner.
During an aerial search, a naval aircraft detected a distress transmission and guided ICGS Varad towards the reported location. The Coast Guard subsequently recovered the emergency beacon and, after verification, confirmed its association with the missing vessel.
Additional Coast Guard assets and merchant vessels operating in the area are now being coordinated to expand the search.
22 Crew Members Still Missing
MV Ocean Winner sank rapidly in the Bay of Bengal on August 22 after departing Paradip Port with around 72,100 tonnes of iron ore fines. The vessel had 24 crew members on board, including 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi national.
Two crew members were rescued from liferafts by merchant vessel MT Aisopos after the distress alert was received. The remaining 22 crew members have not yet been located.
Search Operation Expanded With Merchant Vessels
The Indian Coast Guard and Navy have been conducting sustained search-and-rescue operations in coordination with maritime authorities. The operation is also being coordinated with MRCC Beijing, while additional Coast Guard ships, aircraft and merchant vessels in the region are being deployed.
ICGS Varad is continuing an extensive search in coordination with vessels operating nearby as authorities race against time to locate the missing crew.
Cause Of Sinking Still Under Probe
The exact circumstances behind the vessel’s rapid sinking remain under investigation. Reports have said the ship developed a sudden list before going down within minutes, while maritime experts have also examined whether the iron ore fines cargo may have contributed to the incident through liquefaction.
For now, search operations remain underway, with Coast Guard and Navy assets maintaining an extensive aerial and surface search for the missing seafarers.
