Search Continues for 22 Crew After Bulk Carrier Sinks Off Odisha Coast

Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessels continued search operations on Sunday for 22 missing crew members after the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Winner sank in the Bay of Bengal.

The ship went down about 240 nautical miles from Paradip port in Odisha. It had left Paradip on Friday carrying more than 72,000 tonnes of iron ore fines bound for China. The vessel developed a list and sank within eight minutes, according to the two survivors.

Of the 24 crew, 20 were Chinese, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi. A commercial vessel recovered two Chinese seafarers from liferafts on Saturday evening. The remaining 22 are still missing.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Sri Vijaya Puram received the distress report after communication was lost. Coast Guard ships Varad, Anmol and Vijay joined the effort, along with naval assets. Other commercial vessels in the area were asked to assist.

Director general of India's Maritime Administration Shyam Jagannathan said survival chances drop sharply after 12 hours, yet the search continued. Weather and sea conditions in the Bay of Bengal can complicate recovery.

The cause of the sudden listing remains under investigation. Iron ore fines can shift or liquefy if moisture content is high, a known risk for bulk carriers. The ship had been loaded at Paradip, a major iron-ore export terminal.

Chinese authorities were informed given the majority of the crew. Coordination between Indian maritime agencies and the vessel's managers continues as the operation enters its second full day.

No further survivors had been located by Monday morning. The search area remains focused on the last reported position and possible drift paths of debris and rafts.