PARADIP: In a major development in the search operation for the Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner and 22 of its crew members, rescue teams on Tuesday recovered an empty lifeboat and an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) in the Bay of Bengal around 290 nautical miles off Paradip coast.
The lifeboat and distress beacon were traced by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Varad and rescue teams at around 7 am on Tuesday during the ongoing search and rescue (SAR) operation. However, no survivors were found inside the lifeboat, raising concerns over the fate of the remaining crew members.
Sources in the ICG said recovery of the emergency beacon indicates that the vessel’s distress equipment had been activated. But authorities are yet to ascertain what happened to the crew after they abandoned the sinking ship.
The 28-year-old MV Ocean Winner, carrying around 71,000 tonnes of iron ore from Paradip Port to China, sank in the Bay of Bengal under circumstances that are yet to be established. Of the 24 crew members on board, two were rescued, while 22 remain missing.
Following the discovery of the lifeboat, the ICG, Navy aircraft, ships and merchant vessels intensified search operation in the surrounding waters. As most of the missing crew members were from China, two Chinese vessels joined the SAR operation on the day.
Meanwhile, questions have been raised over the ownership of MV Ocean Winner. While Ocean Winner Shipping Corporation Ltd has been identified as the vessel’s owner, an initial request for SAR assistance to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was reportedly made by another entity, Victory Star Group Corporation Ltd, after communication with MV Ocean Winner was lost.
A dock supervisor at Paradip Port said preventive measures have been strengthened following the incident. Vessel hatches are now being kept closed during rainfall. Besides, cargo loading is being stopped during rain to prevent moisture from entering the holds. The additional precautions have slowed cargo-loading operations at the port.