BAY OF BENGAL — India’s Eastern Naval Command stated on August 23 that a Boeing P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (P-8I) on a surveillance sortie was re-tasked after a distress alert on the Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner, International Maritime Organization number 9145530, and that the aircraft found rafts that were not in one cluster in the search area about 435 miles (700 km) east of Visakhapatnam.
Panama-Flagged Ocean Winner Sinks Off Odisha
INDIA — The Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Sri Vijaya Puram received information at 6:18 a.m. UTC on August 22 that communication had been lost with the Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner, IMO 9145530, and that the vessel sank in the Bay of Bengal.
Sarbananda Sonowal, India’s minister of ports, shipping and waterways, stated the same day that two survivors were in medical care, that their rank and identity were still being verified, and that the Panama-flagged ship had been carrying iron ore from Paradip Port to China.
The Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Sri Vijaya Puram had received the loss-of-communication notice at 6:18 a.m. UTC on August 22, 11:48 a.m. India Standard Time, and recorded that the ship sank.
Commandant Amit Uniyal, a Coast Guard spokesperson, stated the crew numbered 24: 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals, and one Bangladeshi national, with iron ore aboard. The Coast Guard last-known position was 317 degrees from East Island Light at 310 nautical miles.