MV Ocean Winner Sinking: 2 Rescued, 22 Crew Missing
By Business Desk
Two Chinese survivors of the MV Ocean Winner, which sank in the Bay of Bengal, have been rescued. Search continues for 22 missing crew members.
The Indian Coast Guard successfully brought two Chinese survivors of the Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner to Paradip on Thursday. This comes five days after the vessel sank in the Bay of Bengal, with search operations continuing for the remaining 22 crew members.
Pan Tonglai and Chen Jianhe were rescued from a liferaft on August 22, the same day the carrier went down. They received medical attention aboard the ICG ship Varad before being handed over to company representatives, immigration, and local police officials.
Key Details of the Incident
- Survivors: 2 Chinese nationals (Pan Tonglai, Chen Jianhe)
- Missing Crew: 22 members
- Vessel: MV Ocean Winner, a nearly 28-year-old bulk carrier
- Sinking Date: August 22
- Cargo: Over 72,000 tonnes of iron ore fines
- Location: Approximately 230 nautical miles off the Odisha coast
The MV Ocean Winner had departed from Paradip Port, en route to China, with a total of 24 crew members. This included 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar, and one from Bangladesh.
Ongoing Search and Investigation
Coordinated sea and air search operations are actively underway for the 22 missing crew members, though no breakthrough has been reported. Three ships, including two merchant vessels from China, are participating in the search, with more expected to join these efforts.
Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres in Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) and Beijing are coordinating the extensive search. A preliminary inquiry has been launched by a three-member team from the Directorate General of Shipping, Kolkata, now in Paradip to investigate the vessel’s records.
Cargo liquefaction is strongly suspected as the primary cause for the sinking, though the official reason is yet to be determined. The incident occurred in international waters, outside India’s exclusive economic zone, complicating the investigation.
Experts suggest that either Panama, due to the vessel’s flag, or China, given the nationality of most crew members, should take the lead in determining the causes. Concerns have been raised regarding potential lapses in safety protocols, particularly concerning the loading of Category A cargoes like iron ore fines.
Independent marine inspector Henry Li highlighted that safety certificates sometimes function as mere checklist items rather than effective safety barriers. He speculated that the cargo might have been drenched by monsoon squalls at Paradip Port, India’s second-largest port for iron ore, and loaded without proper drainage.
Warnings about the safe shipment of iron ore fines from Indian ports during the monsoon season were previously issued by the Japan Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Club and the China P&I Club in 2009. Despite these warnings, a similar incident has occurred 17 years later, involving the same port, season, and cargo.