India Launches Search for 22 Missing Crew After Cargo Ship Sinks

India’s Coast Guard and Navy continued search-and-rescue operations off the eastern coast on Sunday after the Panama-flagged cargo ship Ocean Winner sank with 24 crew members on board. Two Chinese sailors were rescued, while 22 others remain missing, officials said.

The two rescued crew members told authorities that the ship began tilting on Friday and sank within just eight minutes, giving the crew very little time to escape. India’s Maritime Administration said the chances of finding survivors usually drop significantly after 12 hours, but rescue teams continued their efforts.

The missing crew include 18 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi, according to the Indian Coast Guard. The Navy is working closely with the Coast Guard to locate the remaining crew members.

The Coast Guard has deployed two vessels from Sri Vijaya Puram, formerly known as Port Blair, for the search operation. The Ocean Winner was carrying iron ore to China after leaving Paradip port on India’s eastern coast on Friday. The vessel sank around 240 nautical miles from the port. Officials have not yet determined what caused the ship to sink.