Indian Coast Guard, Navy continue search for 22 crew missing after bulk carrier sinks

India's Coast Guard and Navy are continuing extensive search-and-rescue efforts for 22 crew members lost when the Panama-flagged cargo ship Ocean Winner sank off the country's eastern coast. Two Chinese nationals have been rescued so far.

According to Shyam Jagannathan, director general of India's Maritime Administration, the two rescued seafarers reported that the vessel developed a list on Friday and sank within eight minutes, forcing the crew to abandon ship. While the chances of finding survivors typically diminish significantly after 12 hours, rescuers are persisting in their efforts.

The missing crew includes 18 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar, and one from Bangladesh. The Indian Navy is coordinating closely with the Coast Guard, deploying vessels and resources to locate the remaining individuals. The Ocean Winner had departed from India's Paradip port on Friday, bound for China with a cargo of iron ore, and sank about 240 nautical miles from the port. The cause of the sinking remains unknown.

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The two rescued Chinese seafarers said the vessel developed a list on Friday and sank within eight minutes, forcing crew to abandon ship.