Odia sailor’s disappearance near Mauritius: Family seeks urgent government intervention

An Odia youth and sailor, Sarthak Mahapatra from Bhadrak district of Odisha, has reportedly gone missing under mysterious circumstances from the deep sea near Mauritius. It has been four days since his disappearance, with no trace found so far, plunging his family into acute anxiety and distress.

According to reports, Sarthak was working aboard a private vessel when he allegedly went missing mid-voyage in the deep ocean near Mauritius. However, no clear information has emerged so far regarding how or under what circumstances he disappeared from the ship.

Following an appeal made by Sarthak’s family to the Odisha Chief Minister, the concerned vessel was inspected after it reached port. However, the private shipping company reportedly informed the family that no concrete clues regarding Sarthak’s whereabouts could be found during the inspection.

With no new leads, panic and uncertainty have deepened among the family members. Sarthak’s mother, Rashmita Mahapatra, has made an emotional appeal to the state government, urging immediate intervention to locate and rescue her son.

Taking the matter seriously, the Odisha government has formally informed the Central government, following which efforts to address the case have intensified. Authorities are now showing increased urgency in handling the incident.

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Meanwhile, the emotional toll on the family continues to mount. Since receiving the devastating news, Sarthak’s mother is reportedly in deep shock and grief. Family sources said she has stopped eating and drinking, spending her days in tears, unable to come to terms with the situation.

Sarthak has been missing since February 3, after reportedly disappearing mid-voyage. The last contact his family had with him was through a video call, after which all communication ceased.

The distressed mother has once again appealed to the government to trace and bring back her son at the earliest..

"I am fully confident that with God's grace, my son will definitely come back. God will never give such a big punishment to my child. This is a mother's confidence," said Sarthak’s mother, Rashmita Mahapatra.

Bhadrak MP Abhimanyu Sethi has also taken up the issue and held discussions with the Union Minister for External Affairs, seeking diplomatic and official intervention.

The family has urged the concerned shipping company to share accurate information and take all necessary steps to locate and rescue Sarthak.

Meanwhile, ship engineer Swadhin Mohanty explained the standard procedures followed when a crew member goes missing at sea. He said that once a person is found missing from their cabin, an immediate headcount is conducted, followed by a thorough search across the vessel. Within the first 24 hours, all crew members jointly search every section of the ship and submit reports. If the individual remains untraced even after 48 hours, the crew member is officially declared missing.

Referring to Sarthak’s case, Mohanty said it has emerged that the sailor had completed his last eight-hour duty shift. Any communication or commands during that period would have been recorded. He added that ships are equipped with CCTV cameras covering all areas, with footage stored for at least a month, which can help trace the sailor’s last movements.

Sarthak was travelling aboard the vessel MV EA Jersey, which is currently en route from Mauritius to Singapore. Once the ship reaches Singapore within the next 48 hours, a comprehensive investigation and search are expected to be conducted, after which clearer information regarding his disappearance may emerge.