MV Ocean-Winner ship sinking (Img: Google)
Odisha: A Panama-flagged cargo ship carrying a large consignment of iron ore sank in the sea on Saturday, triggering a major rescue operation by the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy.
The vessel, identified as MV Ocean-Winner, had departed from Odisha’s Paradip Port on Friday and was heading towards Singapore when it sank nearly 240 nautical miles off the Odisha coast.
According to ship-tracking platform MarineTraffic, around 24 crew members were onboard the vessel at the time of the incident. A senior IPS officer told news agency PTI that most of the crew members were Chinese nationals. Authorities are yet to confirm the exact number of people rescued.
Soon after receiving information about the sinking, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard launched a joint search and rescue operation to locate the crew members and provide emergency assistance.
Following the incident, an alert was issued to ships operating in the surrounding maritime region. Nearby vessels were requested to remain cautious and assist in rescue efforts if required.
Indian security agencies are continuously monitoring the situation, while rescue teams are working to trace missing crew members.
Meanwhile, armed pirates had recently hijacked two ships in international waters near Yemen and Somalia, with 22 Indian sailors onboard.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that all Indian sailors involved in the incident are safe and are being closely monitored. Authorities are receiving regular updates through the e-Navik portal and coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure the safe return of Indian citizens.
