Indian and Chinese maritime centres coordinate rescue efforts for missing vessel with Chinese nationals in Bay of Bengal
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Indian and Chinese maritime centres coordinate rescue efforts for missing vessel with Chinese nationals in Bay of Bengal")
ICGS Varad located a lifeboat of MV Ocean Winner in the search area where MV Ocean Winner went missing Photograph: (WION)
Indian and Chinese maritime rescue centers are jointly coordinating intensive air and surface search operations in the Bay of Bengal for 22 missing crew members after cargo ship MV Ocean Winner sank.
Indian and Chinese maritime authorities are jointly intensifying search-and-rescue operations for the missing crew of the cargo vessel MV Ocean Winner after the ship lost contact in the northern Bay of Bengal, with most of those on board Chinese nationals.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) received an alert at 1148 hrs on 22 August about the loss of communication with MV Ocean Winner (IMO 9145530). The vessel’s operator, Victory Star Group Co Ltd, requested immediate assistance. The ship’s last known position was reported roughly 310 nautical miles northwest of the northern tip of the Andaman Islands.
On board were 24 crew members: 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar and one from Bangladesh. MRCC activated the Indian Search and Rescue Network and diverted the tanker MT Aisopos to the area. At approximately 2000 hrs the same day, MT Aisopos recovered two survivors from two life rafts. Indian Coast Guard ships ICGS Varad, ICGS Anmol and ICGS Vijit were deployed to continue the search for the remaining 22 crew members. ICGS Vijit sailed from Sri Vijaya Puram to reinforce the effort.
Search operations have been further augmented in coordination with MRCC Beijing. Additional Coast Guard assets and merchant vessels in the area are being deployed and coordinated to intensify the search. Indian Coast Guard officials said ICGS Varad is undertaking an extensive search. During an aerial search, a naval aircraft detected a distress transmission and guided ICGS Varad towards the reported location.
Subsequently, ICGS Varad recovered an emergency beacon from the area, which was confirmed to be associated with MV Ocean Winner. At approximately 0700 hrs on 25 August, ICGS Varad located a lifeboat of the vessel in the search area. A boarding team inspected the lifeboat but found no survivors.
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“The search for the remaining missing crew members is continuing with sustained efforts, with Coast Guard assets, aircraft and merchant vessels maintaining an extensive search of the area,” Indian Coast Guard officials said.
Officials have not released further details on the condition of the two rescued survivors or the circumstances that led to the loss of contact. Authorities continue to coordinate surface and aerial searches across a wide area of the northern Bay of Bengal.
