• Source:JND

A merchant Navy officer from Odisha has gone missing while he was aboard a China-bound ship near Mauritius on February 3.

The officer has been identified as Sarthak Mahapatra. He is a resident of Kespur village in Odisha's Bhadrak district and has been with the private shipping company since July last year.

His disappearance has prompted an assistance appeal to the Centre and state governments from his family.

Sarthak's mother, Rashmita Mahapatra, said that the vessel was to complete a voyage from China to West Africa and was returning to the Asian country via Singapore. She recalled that Sarthak last spoke with his family and friends on February 2. Back then, the ship was close to Singapore, news agency PTI reported.

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She said, "When the ship was near Singapore on February 2, he spoke to me, other family members, and his friends".

Distressed by his sudden disappearance, Sarthak's family has urged authorities to step in urgently.

In a post on X, she said, "My son was last seen entering his cabin on 03 Feb 2026 (06:15 AM LT). Despite onboard search and MRCC Mauritius involvement, he is still missing. As a mother, I request a transparent investigation, CCTV footage, personal belongings details and continuous official updates."

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She also sought help from the prime minister, the chief minister, the director general of shipping and the ministry of external affairs through posts on X.

She also shared a missing report given by Anglo-Eastern, the shipping firm. Citing sources in the Odisha government, news agency PTI reported that the government has taken up the issue with the authorities concerned in New Delhi and requested them to inquire into the incident.

(With PTI Inputs)


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