Paradip: Authorities reported that a Panama-flagged cargo vessel sank in the Bay of Bengal approximately 240 nautical miles off the coast of Paradip in Odisha on Saturday. Officials stated that 24 crew members were aboard the ship, which was transporting iron ore from Odisha to Singapore. In response to the sinking, the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy immediately launched a comprehensive rescue operation to locate and secure the stranded mariners.
A senior IPS officer stated, "We are not sure how many crew members have been rescued." The officer added that the majority of the crew members were Chinese nationals and noted that other vessels operating in the vicinity had been placed on high alert to assist with the ongoing rescue efforts. According to officials, the cargo ship had departed from the Odisha coast on Friday.
Separate Incident Involving the Abduction of Six Indians off Somalia
In a separate maritime incident, six Indian nationals were among the crew members of a cargo ship that was hijacked off the coast of Somalia. Somali authorities reported that pirates seized a Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel near the Puntland coast earlier this week, with its 10-member crew including six Indian citizens. The vessel M/V LUTUF, owned by Polar Movement Shipping, was intercepted on Monday roughly 3.5 nautical miles from Marraya in Puntland's Eyl district and subsequently steered toward the Nugaal coastline.
The cargo ship was carrying Turkish weapons, communication gear, and satellite equipment, which were reportedly destined for a Turkish military training center in Mogadishu. According to an AP report, officials confirmed that the crew consisted of six Indian nationals, one Turkish national, one Georgian, and two Serbian security guards.
Pirate Activity and Subsequent Military Surveillance
According to available details, eight pirates involved in this hijacking were linked to the same group that participated in the seizure of the M/V Sward on April 26. The perpetrators reportedly navigated the captured vessel toward the shoreline near Garmal in Puntland's Dangorayo district. Subsequently, two Turkish naval ships arrived near the hijacked vessel, while Turkish helicopters and drones conducted aerial surveillance over the entire area.
