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The bulk carrier Ocean Winner capsized while transiting the Bay of Bengal, leaving 22 crew members missing. Two crew members were rescued after managing to board a life raft, while an Indian Navy-led search-and-rescue operation is underway for the remaining crew.
The vessel had departed Paradip on 20 August with a cargo of iron ore fines and was headed for Singapore. A distress call was issued from the vessel at around 16:45 GMT on 21 August, after which its AIS signal was lost.
The Indian coast guard deployed their ships Varad, Anmol and Vijit in the search operation. Subsequently Indian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) issued an International Safety Net (ISN) alert, prompting merchant vessels Aiospos and LNG tanker MOL Azure to join Coast Guard ships in the search operation. Indian Navy aircraft spotted two crew members on a life raft and were rescued by Aiospos.
The survivors reported that the vessel developed a list while sailing and then sank in around eight minutes. Of the 24 crew members on board, 20 were Chinese nationals, three were from Myanmar, and one was from Bangladesh. A search-and-rescue operation for the remaining 22 missing crew members is underway.
The vessel developed a list followed by rapid capsizing while carrying around 71,000 metric tonnes of iron ore. The cause of the sinking of the vessel is yet unknown. An oil slick was observed by the Indian naval aircraft.
The Ocean Winner is a Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier built in 1998. The vessel has a length of 225 metres, a beam of 32.26 metres, and a gross tonnage of 39,755.
