New Delhi [India], August 25 : Search and rescue efforts for crew members missing after Panama-flagged merchant vessel MV Ocean Winner sank in the Bay of Bengal were intensified on Tuesday, with additional Indian Coast Guard assets, aircraft and merchant vessels deployed in coordination with MRCC Beijing, officials said.
The vessel, which was carrying 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar and one from Bangladesh, had issued a distress alert on August 22 while operating around 300 nautical miles north-northwest of Diglipur in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Following the alert, the Andaman and Nicobar Command, in coordination with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Andaman and Nicobar, Coast Guard Region Headquarters (A&N), HQENC and Coast Guard Region Headquarters (NE), launched a coordinated maritime search and rescue operation.
During the operation, an Indian Navy P-8I maritime patrol aircraft detected two floating liferafts and an oil slick in the vicinity of the vessel's reported location. Two survivors were subsequently rescued by merchant vessel MV AISOPOS at around 2000 hours.
The Indian Coast Guard deployed ICGS Varad and ICGS Anmol, while ICGS Vijit was also deployed from Sri Vijaya Puram to augment the search.
The Coast Guard said on Tuesday that ICGS Varad, while coordinating with merchant vessels in the area, was conducting an extensive search for the remaining missing crew.
During an aerial search, a naval aircraft detected a distress transmission and guided ICGS Varad towards the reported location. The Coast Guard vessel subsequently recovered an emergency beacon from the area, which was verified and confirmed to be associated with MV Ocean Winner.
At approximately 0700 hours on August 25, ICGS Varad located a lifeboat belonging to MV Ocean Winner in the search area. A boarding team inspected the lifeboat, but no survivors were found.
"Additional Coast Guard assets are being deployed to further augment the ongoing search and rescue efforts," the Coast Guard said.
The search for the remaining crew members is continuing, with Coast Guard assets, aircraft and merchant vessels maintaining an extensive search of the area.
According to maritime vessel tracker MarineTraffic, MV Ocean Winner was a bulk carrier sailing under the Panama flag. The vessel was approximately 225 metres long and 32.26 metres wide, with Singapore listed as its destination and an estimated arrival date of August 27.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal had also expressed concern over the sinking and the ongoing efforts to locate the missing crew.