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A merchant vessel carrying 24 crew members has reportedly gone down in the sea off Odisha, prompting the Coast Guard to begin a search and rescue operation.
A Panama flagged ship (Reuters image used for representation)
A Panama-flagged cargo ship sank in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday, around 240 nautical miles from the Paradip coast in Odisha, officials said.
The vessel was carrying 24 crew members and was heading towards Singapore with a cargo of iron ore from Odisha. The ship had arrived at Paradip on August 20 before setting out on its onward journey.
The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy have launched a search and rescue operation following the incident. Other vessels sailing in the area have also been alerted and asked to assist in the rescue effort.
A senior IPS officer said authorities were still trying to establish how many crew members had been rescued.
“We are not sure how many of the crew members have been rescued,” the officer told PTI, adding that most of the crew members were Chinese.
The officer said the vessel had left the Odisha coast on Friday before sinking in the Bay of Bengal.
“The ship left the Odisha coast on Friday,” the officer said.
The vessel sank nearly 444 km from the Paradip coast in Jagatsinghpur district. Further details about the crew members and the circumstances leading to the sinking are awaited as rescue operations continue.
Two Survivors Rescued From Lifeboats
MT AISOPOS located and rescued two survivors from two lifeboats at around 8 pm.
The Indian Coast Guard has also joined the search and rescue operation. ICGS Varad and ICGS Anmol were deployed for the operation, while ICGS Vijit was also sent from Sri Vijaya Puram to support the rescue efforts.
Further details on the remaining crew members and the circumstances surrounding the loss of communication are awaited.
The vessel sank in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the Paradip coast in Odisha, with all 24 crew members reportedly safe and taking shelter in lifeboats.
Most of the crew members are Chinese nationals. Their location was traced by an aircraft deployed by the Indian Coast Guard.
Two Coast Guard rescue teams and an aircraft have been deployed to the site to bring the crew members to safety.
However, the rescue operation is facing delays due to rough sea conditions and high waves in the area.
The vessel’s sinking had earlier triggered a search and rescue operation after communication with the ship was lost
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18The cause of the Panama-flagged ship sinking is not yet clear. Investigations will determine if factors such as the amount of iron ore, sea conditions, ship stability, mechanical failure, or other reasons were involved.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, …Read More
August 22, 2026, 9:50 PM IST
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