Bhubaneswar, Feb 6 (NationPress) The Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly and President of the Biju Janata Dal, Naveen Patnaik, has voiced his deep concern over the baffling disappearance of a merchant navy cadet from Odisha, believed to be in the Pacific Ocean. He has called upon the Directorate General of Shipping and the Ministry of External Affairs to take immediate action.

On his X account, the BJD chief stated, "I am profoundly troubled by the vanishing of Cadet Sarthak Mohapatra from #Odisha. My heartfelt prayers are with his family. I implore the Directorate General of Shipping, Government of India (@dgshipping_IN), and the Ministry of External Affairs (@MEAIndia) to provide urgent help and collaborate with all relevant parties to assist the family and hasten search operations. I pray for Sarthak’s safe return."

Reports indicate that Sarthak Mohapatra, a 23-year-old deck cadet hailing from Bhadrak district, has been missing from the merchant vessel 'EA Jersey', managed by Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, while navigating at sea.

Sarthak embarked on the vessel as a deck cadet on July 14, 2025. Family members were informed that he was last seen on February 3, 2026, as the ship traveled from Mauritius to Singapore. His last communication with his mother occurred around 9:00 p.m. on February 2, followed by conversations with other relatives and friends that same evening.

It has been reported that the duty hours on board typically run from 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. During this timeframe, Sarthak is said to have left his duty at approximately 6:00 a.m. and returned to his cabin. He was last seen entering his cabin around 6:15 a.m. on February 3. Following this, the company informed the family that Sarthak could not be found on board and a search operation at sea was initiated.

The search efforts are reportedly being coordinated with relevant maritime authorities, including the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mauritius.

Currently, the family claims they have not received comprehensive details about the situation surrounding his disappearance. No visual evidence or further material information has been provided to them thus far. The company has communicated that Sarthak remains missing and that search efforts are still in progress.

Sarthak's mother, Rasmita Sahoo, who is employed at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, has reached out to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Ministry of External Affairs, pleading for assistance in locating her missing son.

"I, Rasmita Sahoo, am a distressed mother in urgent need of help. My son, Cadet Sarthak Mohapatra, has gone missing aboard the vessel M.V. EA Jersey on February 3, 2026, during its voyage. @CMO_Odisha @PMOIndia @dgshipping_IN @angloeasterngrp @MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar @IndianDiplomacy," she appealed on X on February 4.