A Bangladeshi marine engineer has been reported missing after a Panama-flagged cargo vessel sank in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of India’s Odisha state. The disappearance of Md Abdullah Al Mamun has plunged his family into profound anguish as rescue teams scour international waters for survivors.
Mamun, widely known by his nickname Manik, hails from the Gonomukhi field area in Satkhira town. He is the sole Bangladeshi national among the twenty-four crew members aboard the ill-fated bulk carrier, MV Ocean Winner.
According to reports from Indian maritime authorities and international media, communication with the vessel was abruptly lost on the morning of 22 August. The approximately 225-metre-long ship had departed from Odisha’s Paradip port carrying roughly 72,100 metric tonnes of iron ore bound for Singapore. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre registered a loss of contact at approximately 11:48 am on Saturday, prompting immediate emergency responses.
The vessel sank under circumstances that remain under investigation. In the immediate aftermath, commercial vessel MT Isopos along with Indian Coast Guard ships—including Varada, Anmol, and Vijit—were deployed to the disaster zone. Joint search and rescue operations involving both naval vessels and aircraft have managed to rescue two crew members alive from a life raft. However, both survivors are Chinese nationals, leaving the remaining twenty-two crew members, including Mamun, unaccounted for.
Back in Satkhira, Mamun’s family remains locked in a harrowing wait for news. His residence has drawn a steady stream of anxious relatives, neighbours, and friends seeking updates from recruitment agencies and diplomatic channels. The emotional toll has weighed heavily on the household; Mamun’s mother, who suffers from a chronic heart condition, has fallen severely ill upon learning of the maritime disaster. His wife and children are equally distressed.
Abdullah Al Bakie, Mamun’s elder brother, expressed the family’s deep despair. He noted that Mamun had spent nearly four months at sea before joining the MV Ocean Winner. “My brother last spoke with us last week before the ship set sail for Singapore,” Bakie said. “We are completely shattered. Our mother is gravely ill, and our only plea to the government is to help ascertain his status as swiftly as possible.”
Childhood friend Sadat Al Kabiju, who has been liaising with maritime recruitment agencies, confirmed that Mamun joined the vessel in late April and spoke with him by phone just hours before the ship departed from Odisha.
Family members have formally appealed to the Bangladesh government to coordinate closely with Indian authorities to intensify search and rescue operations, demanding definitive information regarding the missing engineer’s fate as the maritime search continues into its third day.
