Two rescued after MV Ocean Winner sends distress alert near Andaman Islands

SRI VIJAYA PURAM (Andaman and Nicobar Islands): Two survivors have been rescued after merchant vessel MV Ocean Winner issued a distress alert while operating around 300 nautical miles north-northwest of Diglipur in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Andaman and Nicobar Command said.

The distress alert was received on August 22, following which the Andaman and Nicobar Command, in coordination with MRCC (A&N), Coast Guard region headquarters (A&N), HQENC and Coast Guard region headquarters (NE), launched a coordinated maritime search and rescue operation, officials said on Monday around 12.40 am.

On 22 Aug 26, responding to the distress alert received in respect of MV OCEAN WINNER, approximately 700 Km East of #Visakhapatnam, #IndianNavy aircraft P8I on surveillance sortie was rapidly re-deployed for Search & Rescue mission in coordination with #MRCC at Sri Vijay Puram.… pic.twitter.com/rAz3Gg10uf

— Eastern Naval Command (@IN_HQENC) August 23, 2026

The ship had 24 crew members. Indian Navy ships and maritime patrol aircraft were deployed to locate the vessel and its crew. During the operation, an Indian Navy P-8I aircraft detected two floating liferafts and an oil slick near the reported location of MV Ocean Winner. Two survivors were subsequently rescued safely by MV AOSPOS, officials said.

The search operation remains under way, with Indian Navy and Coast Guard assets continuing efforts to locate any other survivors and gather further information about the incident. Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal expressed concern over a Panama-flagged cargo ship sinking in the Bay of Bengal. (ANI)