Bay of Bengal, India — August 23, 2026: A major search-and-rescue operation is underway after a Panama-flagged cargo ship carrying 24 crew members sank in the Bay of Bengal off the eastern coast of India.
The vessel, MV Ocean Winner, went down about 240 nautical miles (approximately 445 kilometres) from Paradip, Odisha, after communication with the ship was lost. The vessel was carrying iron ore and was travelling from Paradip towards Singapore.
According to Indian authorities, the crew consisted of 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi national.
There has been a breakthrough in the rescue effort, with two Chinese crew members rescued from separate life rafts. However, the remaining 22 crew members were still unaccounted for as search operations continued on Sunday.
Indian Coast Guard and Navy vessels have been deployed to the area, while a nearby commercial vessel was also diverted to assist in the emergency response. The rescue teams are searching the surrounding waters for additional survivors and life rafts.
The circumstances surrounding the sinking remain under investigation. Reuters reported that the two rescued seafarers said the vessel developed a list before sinking rapidly, reportedly within about eight minutes.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about maritime safety, particularly the dangers faced by crews transporting heavy bulk cargo across busy international shipping routes.
Authorities have not yet confirmed any fatalities, and officials continue to focus on locating the missing sailors.
The search remains ongoing, with families and authorities awaiting news of the 22 crew members still missing at sea.
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