Sarthak Mahapatra, a merchant navy cadet from Odisha, has gone missing while on duty aboard the vessel EA Jersey near Mauritius waters, prompting a search operation and concern among his family. Sarthak was serving with Anglo-Eastern Ship Management when the incident occurred during the vessel’s return journey to Singapore from West Africa under unclear circumstances.
According to his family, Sarthak, a resident of Bhadrak district, joined Anglo-Eastern Ship Management on July 14, 2025. He last communicated with his mother via video call on February 2 and was also in contact with other relatives and friends that day. His mother’s attempt to reach him on February 3 was unsuccessful.
Anglo-Eastern Ship Management later notified the family that Sarthak was missing and that search operations had started.
Company records indicate Sarthak was last seen entering his cabin on the morning of February 3. Around 8:30 am, the chief officer checked on him, but the cabin was empty.
A search was conducted throughout the vessel, with an alarm raised and a crew headcount confirming Sarthak was not on board.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mauritius was informed, and coordinated search efforts were launched in the area where the vessel was operating. Despite the search, no trace of Sarthak had been found as of the latest reports.
Family members expressed growing anxiety as repeated attempts to contact Sarthak after February 2 remained unsuccessful.
Sarthak’s mother explained he was nearing the end of his internship and maintained regular contact with the family.
She stated, “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”.
“He was in regular contact with me over phone calls and told me he loved his job and had no problems at work. On February 3, we received a call from his friends, who said they wanted to visit Odisha. As they were unknown to me, I did not share my address,” she added.
Sarthak’s mother said she repeatedly tried calling her son but got no response. She later received a call from a man identifying himself as Captain Debasish Pattnaik from Bhubaneswar, who claimed to represent the Anglo-Eastern Company.
The following morning, the family was informed that Sarthak had gone missing and was given a missing report. She said her son was aboard a ship in the middle of the sea, and she asked the company to arrange a video call to show his cabin, which they did.
Questioning the circumstances, she asked how someone could disappear from their room while the vessel was at sea, and added that she has approached senior authorities seeking a thorough investigation into the incident.
No new developments have been reported regarding Sarthak’s whereabouts, and the search and investigation into his disappearance continue as the family seeks answers from both the company and authorities.
