Paradip: The mystery surrounding the sinking of Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner, about 290 nautical miles off the Paradip coast in the Bay of Bengal, has deepened after two Chinese crew members rescued from the tragedy recounted how the vessel disappeared beneath the sea within minutes.
The two survivors, Pan Tonglai and Chen Jianh, were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard ship Varad and brought to Paradip on Thursday. They later shared details of the incident with officials from the Mercantile Marine Department, Indian Coast Guard, Paradip Port Authority, immigration authorities and the shipping agency through an interpreter.
According to the survivors, the vessel’s master raised the alarm at around 10.30 p.m. on August 22, informing the 24-member crew that the ship was in severe distress. The crew was instructed to rush to the upper deck and abandon the vessel as it began to sink.
Only 10 crew members managed to reach the upper deck in time. They released the lifeboats and jumped into the sea. Two of them, including the survivors, managed to get into a liferaft and survive.
However, eight other crew members who jumped into the sea were reportedly caught in a powerful whirlpool generated as the vessel sank. They were pulled into the deep sea by the strong currents.
The remaining 14 crew members, including the master and chief mate, were unable to reach the upper deck in time and went down with the vessel.
The survivors said the sea was extremely rough that night. The heavily loaded bulk carrier, which was carrying around 72,000 metric tonnes of iron ore, suddenly lost control, began drifting and then tilted heavily towards its right side.
They said the vessel sank within just a few minutes after beginning to tilt, leaving the crew with almost no time to escape.
The two survivors described the incident as a horrifying experience and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of their fellow crew members. They also thanked God for saving their lives.
Meanwhile, search operations for the missing crew members and the sunken vessel are continuing in the Bay of Bengal. The Indian Coast Guard, along with two Chinese vessels and naval aircraft, has been conducting search operations, but there has been no confirmed trace of the 22 missing crew members or MV Ocean Winner so far.
Maritime experts have described the incident as an extremely rare case, given the speed at which the large bulk carrier disappeared beneath the sea.
Officials are questioning the survivors to gather information that could help determine what caused the vessel to suddenly lose control and sink.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Immigration) Sarojkant Behera said immigration formalities for the two Chinese survivors had been completed. They are expected to travel to Kolkata and return to China by Saturday.
The exact cause of the sinking remains under investigation, while the fate of the missing crew members and the location of MV Ocean Winner continue to remain a mystery.