Rescue efforts underway after cargo ship sinks off Odisha

A Panama-flagged cargo ship, the Ocean Wear, sank in the Bay of Bengal approximately 240 nautical miles off the coast of Odisha, India, with 24 crew members on board, officials confirmed on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy have launched a joint rescue operation to locate the crew, whose nationalities include 20 Chinese, one Bangladeshi, and three Indonesian nationals.

The vessel departed from Paradip Port in Odisha on August 20, carrying a shipment of iron ore destined for China. It lost contact with authorities on August 21, prompting immediate concern for the safety of those onboard. A senior police officer stated that the ship had left the Odisha coast on Friday, August 21, and that the exact number of crew members rescued remains unconfirmed. Other vessels in the vicinity have been alerted to assist in the search and rescue efforts.

The cause of the sinking has not yet been established. Authorities are investigating several possibilities, including technical failure, adverse weather conditions, or another emergency at sea. Odisha has experienced continuous heavy rainfall over the past several days due to a low-pressure system, which has...