Hopes of rescuing crew members alive fade around sunken cargo ship in Bay of Bengal
Search and rescue operations are ongoing for 22 missing crew members after the bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner sank in the Bay of Bengal. Despite the rescue of two individuals, authorities report that hopes of finding the remaining crew alive are fading as the search area expands.
Why it matters
This maritime disaster highlights the ongoing risks in international shipping lanes and the logistical challenges of deep-sea search and rescue missions.
The search and rescue operation for the sunken Panama-flagged bulk carrier in the Bay of Bengal has been expanded to cover a wider area, as hopes of finding the 22 remaining crew members alive diminish with every passing hour.
Despite days-long search operations in the Bay of Bengal, neither the debris of the ill-fated vessel nor any of its 22 missing crew members could be traced, an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) spokesperson said on Monday (August 24, 2026).
The Indian Navy and the ICG are jointly coordinating the search and rescue operation about 700 km east of Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal.
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