A search and rescue operation by the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is ongoing for 22 crew members of the Panama-flagged bulk carrier, M.V. Ocean Winner, which sank in the Bay of Bengal off Odisha. The vessel, carrying iron ore from Odisha, had 24 crew members on board, including 20 Chinese, three Myanmarese, and one Bangladeshi national.
The Indian Navy and the ICG have rescued two Chinese crew members so far, but the fates of the remaining 22 crew members remain unknown. The Navy ships and aircraft are continuing to search for the missing crew members. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received information about the loss of communication with the vessel 36 hours after its departure from Paradip Port on August 20, 2026.
The Eastern Naval Command responded to the distress alert by deploying the P8I surveillance aircraft, which located a liferaft in the area and coordinated with a nearby merchant vessel, MT Aisopos, to rescue two crew members from the liferaft. The Navy is continuing to coordinate with the ICG to find the remaining crew members. The Indian Navy P8I MR aircraft has detected two floating liferafts and an oil slick near the reported position of the sunken vessel.
According to Equasis, a global merchant shipping database, the M.V. Ocean Winner was a 28-year-old vessel that could carry around 73,000 tonnes of cargo. The vessel was built in 1998 and was in its end-of-life period, with several deficiencies reported during periodic inspections.
The vessel was covered by Protection and Indemnity insurance, which would compensate for the loss of life, and the insurance is up-to-date, starting from August 1, 2026.
