Odisha Merchant Navy Officer Sarthak Mohapatra Missing Near Mauritius, Family Calls for Investigation

Concerns are rising in the state of Odisha, India, following the announcement of the disappearance of 23-year-old Sarthak Mohapatra, a merchant navy officer, on February 3rd while his ship was navigating in Mauritian territorial waters. The young man, employed by a private shipping company since July 2025, was aboard a cargo vessel traveling between West Africa and China via Singapore. According to his mother, Rashmita Mohapatra, the last contact with his family was on February 2nd, while the ship was still near Singapore, with the disappearance reported the following day off the coast of Mauritius.

In light of this unexplained silence, the officer's family has made an urgent appeal to Indian authorities, requesting direct intervention from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Odisha government. Through messages shared on social media and official requests, the missing man's mother is demanding a transparent investigation, immediate access to the ship's surveillance footage, and a thorough inventory of her son's personal belongings. At this point, the exact circumstances surrounding this disappearance at sea remain unclear, leaving his loved ones in an unbearable wait.

The Odisha government has confirmed it has contacted central authorities in New Delhi to coordinate the search with international and Mauritian agencies. This case once again highlights the inherent risks associated with maritime professions and the complexities of jurisdictional interventions when an incident occurs in international waters on a foreign ship. As investigations commence, the Mahapatra family continues to push for concrete answers regarding Sarthak Mahapatra's fate, hoping for a positive outcome despite the distance and delays in intervention.