Two rescued as cargo vessel sinks in Bay of Bengal; Search on for 22 crew members

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 23, 2026

In a dramatic maritime emergency unfolding deep in the Bay of Bengal, two crew members of the Panama-flagged cargo vessel MV Ocean-Winner were rescued after the ship sank around 240 nautical miles off the Odisha coast, setting off a large-scale search-and-rescue mission involving the Indian Coast Guard, Navy and merchant vessels.

The two survivors were located in separate liferafts and rescued around 8 p.m. on Saturday by merchant tanker MT AISOPOS, which was diverted to the area following an emergency alert. The rescue has brought a crucial breakthrough to an operation that remains focused on locating the vessel’s remaining crew members.

MV Ocean-Winner had sailed from Paradip Port at around 10:30 p.m. on August 20, carrying nearly 1,700 tonnes of iron ore and bound for Singapore. The vessel had 24 crew members on board, comprising 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi national.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) at Sri Vijaya Puram received an alert at 11:48 a.m. on August 22 after contact with the vessel was lost. The distress request was raised by Victory Star Group Co. Ltd., the vessel’s operator. The ship’s last known position was reported near 317 East Island Light, approximately 310 nautical miles away.

Acting swiftly on the alert, the MRCC activated the Indian Search and Rescue network and diverted MT AISOPOS to the area to search for the missing vessel and any survivors in liferafts.

The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy have since mounted a coordinated joint search operation. Coast Guard vessels ICGS Varad and ICGS Anmol were deployed immediately, while ICGS Vijit sailed from Sri Vijaya Puram to strengthen the rescue effort. Other ships operating in the vicinity have also been alerted and asked to assist in the search for the missing crew.

While the rescue of two crew members has provided a measure of hope, the whereabouts and condition of the remaining 22 crew members are still unknown. Search operations are continuing across the affected maritime zone as rescuers race against time to locate any additional survivors.

The exact circumstances that led to the sinking of MV Ocean-Winner remain unclear. Authorities are continuing efforts to establish the cause of the incident even as the priority remains the safe recovery of the missing crew members.