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Naveen Patnaik Appeals For Safe Return Of Odisha Merchant Navy Cadet Missing At Sea

ODISHA BYTES | February 6, 2026 6:40 PM CST

Bhubaneswar: Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Friday expressed concern over the disappearance of 23-year-old Merchant Navy cadet Sarthak Mahapatra, a native of Odisha, while on duty aboard a vessel near Mauritius.

“Deeply concerned about the disappearance of Cadet Sarthak Mohapatra from Odisha. My thoughts are with his family. I urge Directorate General of Shipping and Ministry of External Affairs to extend urgent assistance and coordinate with all stakeholders to support the family and expedite search efforts. Praying for Sarthak’s safe return,” he posted on X.

Details of the Disappearance

The 23-year-old deck cadet was serving aboard the vessel MV EA Jersey, managed by Anglo-Eastern Ship Management. He joined the ship in July 2025 as part of his maritime internship.

Sarthak had spoken to his mother, Rashmita Sahoo, via video call the previous evening when the ship was near Singapore. However, her calls to him on February 3 went unanswered, raising alarm among relatives. The following morning, the family was informed that Sarthak had gone missing and was given a missing report.

According to company communications with the family, Sarthak was last seen entering his designated cabin at approximately 6.15 am on February 3 during the vessel’s return journey to Singapore from West Africa. When the chief officer checked on him around 8.30 am and again at 8.50 am, he was not in his cabin. An immediate search was conducted across accommodation areas, deck areas, and the entire vessel, but no trace was found.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mauritius was notified.

Rashmita, a medical staff at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, sought help from the Prime Minister, Chief Minister of Odisha, Director General of Shipping and the Ministry of External Affairs through posts on social media. She also requested a transparent investigation, access to CCTV footage, details of his personal belongings and continuous official updates.

“He was interning with Anglo-Eastern Shipping Company for the past 16 months. Only two months were left to complete his office internship tenure. This was his last ship. After completing his internship, he was supposed to be promoted to Third Officer,” she was quoted as saying.

Sources said that the Odisha government has taken up the matter with the authorities concerned in New Delhi, with a request for a detailed inquiry into the incident.