


More than a week has passed since an Odia merchant navy officer, Sarthak Mahapatra, went missing near Mauritius.
Investigation revealed nothing, leaving his friends and family extremely worried.
23-year-old Sarthak disappeared under mysterious circumstances on February 3 while on board the merchant vessel EA Jersey.
The vessel is operated by the Anglo Eastern Shipping Company.
He went missing when the ship was returning from Singapore to China.
The Seafarers’ Association of Odisha held a press conference stating the lack of evidence in the case.
Its president, Navin Sarma, said that the Indian Merchant Navy officer’s family is going through a tough time.
The incident happened on February 3, 2026, and even after a week, nothing could be found.
He said that the matter is under the jurisdiction of the central maritime authorities.
“In India, the authority is the Government of India through the Director General of Shipping, which has to provide adequate instructions and directions regarding the status of the investigation,” he said.
Sarthak joined Anglo Eastern Shipping Company in July 2025.
Source: Maritime Shipping News