The Indian Coast Guard on Thursday brought two Chinese survivors of the sunken bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner to Paradip as search operations continued for 22 crew members still missing in the Bay of Bengal.

Survivors Rescued From Life Raft

The two survivors, identified as Pan Tonglai and Chen Jianhe, were transported aboard Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Varad. They had initially been rescued from a life raft on August 22 by merchant vessel MT AISOPOS.

The survivors received medical attention during their journey and were handed over to authorised representatives of the shipping company after reaching Paradip. Bureau of Immigration officials and local police were also present during the handover.

Ship Sank in Bay of Bengal

The Panama-flagged MV Ocean Winner issued a distress alert on August 22 while sailing around 300 nautical miles north-northwest of Diglipur in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The vessel was carrying 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi national. Following the incident, the Indian Coast Guard launched a large-scale search and rescue operation.

Lifeboat Found, But No More Survivors

On August 25, ICGS Varad located a lifeboat believed to be associated with the sunken vessel. However, an inspection found no additional survivors.

Coast Guard ships and aircraft have since continued searching the surrounding waters, coordinating with merchant vessels operating in the area.

Aerial Surveillance Supports Search

Naval aircraft have played an important role in the operation. Aircraft detected the distress transmission from the vessel and helped guide ICGS Varad towards the relevant location.

An emergency beacon was also detected in the search area and was subsequently confirmed to belong to MV Ocean Winner.

Search for Missing Crew Continues

Additional Coast Guard ships and aircraft have been deployed to expand the search in the deep waters of the Bay of Bengal.

Authorities continue to coordinate the multi-agency operation in an effort to locate the remaining crew members, while the successful rescue and safe transportation of the two survivors has provided a crucial breakthrough in the ongoing maritime search operation.

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