No Trace of 22 Missing Crew After Cargo Ship Sinks in Bay of Bengal

Indian Coast Guard and Navy search teams have found no trace of 22 sailors missing after their cargo ship sank in the Bay of Bengal last week, officials said Tuesday.

The Panama-flagged vessel, MV Ocean Winner, went down on Saturday approximately 444 kilometers off the Paradip coast in Odisha, eastern India. The ship was carrying iron ore to China with 24 crew members on board — 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar, and one from Bangladesh.

Two Chinese crew members were rescued on Saturday after the ship sent a distress call. Since then, search aircraft and vessels have been combing the area, but have found only an oil slick and two empty life rafts near the vessel's last known position.

The search has been complicated by exceptionally deep waters in the region, and the lack of wreckage has made it difficult for authorities to determine the cause of the sinking or narrow down where to focus rescue efforts.

Coast Guard officials said the search continues, but no further signs of the missing crew or the vessel have been located.