New Delhi [India], August 23 (ANI): A Panama-flagged cargo ship carrying 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese nationals, sank near India's east coast in the Bay of Bengal off India's east coast, prompting a search and rescue operation to locate the remaining crew members, officials said.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received information late on Saturday, August 22, regarding the loss of communication with MV Ocean Winner and a request for Search and Rescue (SAR) assistance from Victory Star Group Co Ltd.

The vessel was carrying 24 crew members, comprising 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar and one from Bangladesh. It was last reported around 317 East Island Lt 310 nautical miles, according to officials.

Following the distress alert, MRCC (SVP) activated the International Safety Net (ISN) and diverted MT AISOPOS to search for the vessel and its liferafts and render assistance. The merchant vessel later rescued two survivors from two liferafts at around 2000 hours.

The Indian Coast Guard deployed ICGS Varad and ICGS Anmol for the rescue mission, while ICGS Vijit was also deployed from Sri Vijaya Puram to augment the operation.

A senior police official said efforts were underway to trace the remaining crew members. The identities of the rescued crew members were not immediately known.

The iron ore cargo vessel reportedly disappeared from the tracking system after departing from Paradip Port and later sank in the Bay of Bengal, more than 200 nautical miles off the Paradip coast in Odisha.

According to maritime vessel tracker MarineTraffic, MV Ocean Winner was a bulk carrier sailing under the Panama flag. The vessel had a length overall of 225 metres and a width of 32.26 metres.

The vessel had a reported destination of Singapore and an estimated time of arrival of August 27.

The Indian Coast Guard and other agencies continue efforts to locate and rescue the remaining crew members. (ANI)