Bhubaneswar: Two Chinese vessels on Tuesday joined the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Navy in the search for 22 crew members who went missing after a China-bound cargo ship sank in the Bay of Bengal, a day after it sailed from Paradip Port.
The 28-year-old bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner, carrying 24 seafarers, sank on August 22 (Saturday), around 700 km east of Visakhapatnam. Two Chinese nationals were rescued on the evening of August 22, while the remaining 22 crew members are yet to be traced.
Those missing include 18 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi citizen.
The development came as the ICG on Tuesday traced a damaged lifeboat during the search operation. However, no survivors were sighted, reports said.
The search-and-rescue operation has been intensified in coordination with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Beijing, as multiple agencies continue efforts to locate the missing crew.
The two Chinese vessels have joined the ongoing operation to augment the search-and-rescue effort. Additional Coast Guard assets and merchant vessels operating in the vicinity have also been deployed and coordinated to intensify the search.
The MV Ocean Winner, which departed from Paradip Port on August 21 (Friday), met with the accident the following day while sailing towards China.
Following the sinking, the Indian Coast Guard and Navy launched a multi-agency search operation in the Bay of Bengal. Despite sustained efforts, the remaining 22 crew members have not yet been located.
The search operation will continue, with all available resources being utilised to trace the missing seafarers, reports said.
