A Panama-flagged cargo vessel carrying iron ore from Paradip Port has gone missing at sea, raising concerns that the ship may have met with an accident and sunk.
The vessel, identified as ‘Ocean Winner’, reportedly left Paradip Port on August 20 after loading around 75,000 metric tonnes of iron ore. According to preliminary information, the ship lost contact with authorities at around 12:18 am on Friday, after travelling nearly 240 nautical miles, or around 370 kilometres, from Paradip.
The vessel was reportedly headed towards China. There were 24 crew members on board, including 20 Chinese nationals, one Bangladeshi national and three Myanmar nationals.
The ship is suspected to have encountered an accident somewhere near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. However, the exact location and circumstances surrounding its disappearance have not yet been confirmed.
The Ocean Winner had arrived at Paradip Port on August 5. Since no berth was available, the vessel reportedly remained at sea until August 15 before entering the port for loading operations.
After completing the loading of iron ore, the vessel departed Paradip Port at around 10:30 pm on August 20. It subsequently sailed towards its destination but communication with the ship was lost after midnight on Friday.
Search and rescue efforts are expected to focus on the waters around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to determine the vessel’s location and ascertain the fate of the crew members.
Authorities are continuing to gather information about the missing vessel and its crew.