Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:46pm on 05 Feb 2026,Thursday India Global
Merchant Navy cadet Sarthak Mahapatra from Odisha's Bhadrak district went missing aboard vessel EA Jersey near Mauritius waters while returning to Singapore from West Africa. Last seen entering his cabin on February 3 morning, the chief officer found it empty at 8:30 am. After vessel-wide search confirmed his absence, Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Mauritius launched coordinated search operations. Sarthak joined Anglo-Eastern Ship Management on July 14, 2025, last communicating with family via video call on February 2. His mother stated he had only two months remaining in his 16-month internship before promotion to Third Officer, maintaining regular contact with no work problems reported. Family seeks thorough investigation into his mysterious disappearance. (PC: India Today)
