Odisha merchant navy cadet goes missing near Malaysian waters, search underway

A 22-year-old Odisha merchant navy cadet went missing near Malaysian waters; family raises alarm and search operations are underway to locate him

Bhubaneswar: A 22-year-old merchant navy cadet from Odisha’s Bhadrak district has gone missing while on duty aboard a vessel near Malaysian waters, prompting concern among family members and a search operation at sea.

Sarthak Mahapatra, serving as a maritime cadet with Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, disappeared from the EA Jersey vessel on February 3

Sarthak Mahapatra, serving as a maritime cadet with Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, disappeared from the EA Jersey vessel on February 3 while the ship was en route to Singapore from West Africa.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are still unclear.

Mahapatra, 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 conducted a routine check at approximately 8:30 am, the cabin was found empty.

According to company communications with the family, an immediate vessel-wide search was launched, followed by a crew headcount that confirmed Mahapatra’s absence from the ship. The vessel subsequently reduced speed to conduct intensive search operations in surrounding waters, while the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mauritius was notified.

Family members last had contact with Mahapatra on February 2 through video and phone calls, when the vessel was near Singapore. Subsequent attempts to reach him went unanswered, raising alarm among relatives.

The missing cadet’s mother, Rashmita Mohapatra, said she has appealed to Chief Minister Mohan Majhi and the Odisha Director General of Police, seeking urgent government intervention. “I request the governments to look into the matter and help bring my son back,” she stated in her appeal.