Odia Sailor Missing in Singapore: Family Seeks Criminal Probe After Return

Bhubaneswar: The mother and uncle of a 23-year-old Odia Merchant Navy cadet who went missing off Singapore returned home on Tuesday, expressing disappointment over what they described as a lack of transparency in the search for him and demanding a criminal investigation into the case.

Sarthak Mohapatra, a native of Odisha, reportedly disappeared under unexplained circumstances on February 3 while on duty aboard the merchant vessel EA Jersey, operated by Anglo-Eastern. Despite search operations initiated after he was reported missing, there has been no confirmed information about his whereabouts more than two weeks later.

Addressing a press conference after arriving in Bhubaneswar, Sarthak’s uncle alleged that the family faced restrictions during their visit to Singapore. According to him, they were permitted to access only the cadet’s cabin and were barred from interacting with other crew members or visiting key areas of the vessel. He further claimed that crucial evidence, including CCTV footage, had not been reviewed even 12 days after the disappearance.

“We were not extended cooperation from the company side. Whenever I tried to speak to crew members, objections were raised. We were not properly informed about the circumstances under which the boy went missing,” he said, urging Indian authorities to initiate a thorough criminal probe.

The family also expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s human resources representatives in Singapore, alleging that search efforts appeared inadequate and communication remained limited.

In a statement, Anglo-Eastern, a leading ship management company, said the vessel arrived in Singapore on February 15 and complied with all procedures required by investigating authorities, including representatives from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, India’s Directorate General of Shipping, and the Indian High Commission. The company maintained that the family’s visit was conducted in line with safety and investigative protocols and that independent inquiries included crew interviews and review of relevant material.

The ship was cleared to depart Singapore on February 16 and is currently en route to Shanghai. The company said it continues to cooperate with authorities and remains in contact with the cadet’s family as investigations proceed.