Bhubaneswar: A 22-year-old merchant navy cadet from Odisha’s Bhadrak district went missing while on duty on a ship near Malaysian waters, prompting concern among family members and a search operation at sea.
Sarthak Mohapatra, working as a maritime cadet with Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, went missing from the vessel EA Jersey on February 3.Sarthak Mohapatra, working as a maritime cadet with Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, went missing from the EA Jersey ship on February 3 while the ship was en route from West Africa to Singapore.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are still unclear.
Mohapatra, who joined Anglo-Eastern Ship Management on July 14 last year, was last seen entering his cabin on the morning of February 3. When the ship’s chief officer made a routine check at approximately 8:30 p.m., the cabin was found empty.
According to the company’s communication with the family, an immediate ship-wide search was launched, followed by a crew headcount which confirmed Mahapatra’s absence from the ship. The vessel subsequently slowed down to conduct an intensive search operation in the surrounding waters, while the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Mauritius was notified.
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Family members last contacted Mohapatra via video and phone calls on February 2, when the ship was near Singapore. Subsequent attempts to reach him were unsuccessful, raising alarm among relatives.
Rashmita Mohapatra, the mother of the missing cadet, said she has appealed to Chief Minister Mohan Majhi and the Odisha Director General, seeking urgent government intervention. “I request the government to look into the matter and help bring back my son,” he said in his petition.
