India Launches Rescue Operation After Tanker Sinks

The Indian maritime search and rescue service lost contact with a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship that sank off the coast of eastern India on Saturday, the Indian Coast Guard said.

According to Commander Amit Uniyal, a Coast Guard spokesperson, the vessel had 24 crew members on board, including 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi national.

The Coast Guard dispatched two vessels from Sri Vijaya Puram, a city formerly known as Port Blair, on a search and rescue mission, Uniyal said.

Two people have been rescued from lifeboats so far. The operation to locate the remaining sailors is still underway, the agency said.

The Ocean Winner was carrying iron ore to Singapore after setting sail on Thursday from the eastern Indian port of Paradip, according to government sources, who added that the ship sank approximately 240 nautical miles from the port.

The cause of the sinking is unknown.

(Reuters)