Alarm bells are ringing across Odisha following the eerie disappearance of 23-year-old deck cadet Sarthak Mahapatra from a merchant vessel, with BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik leading calls for central government urgency. In his capacity as Leader of Opposition, Patnaik has appealed directly to key maritime and foreign affairs bodies to intervene without delay.
Through a poignant X post, he highlighted the ‘highly concerning’ nature of the event, extending solidarity to Sarthak’s kin and pushing for enhanced coordination in the ongoing manhunt. The ship ‘EA Jersey,’ managed by Anglo-Eastern, was navigating from Mauritius toward Singapore when the cadet went missing.
Timeline paints a baffling picture: Sarthak, a Bhadrak native who boarded July 14, 2025, spoke to his mother past 9 PM on February 2, 2026. Duty ended at 8 AM next day; last sighting at 6:15 AM heading to rest. Alarms raised, searches on ship and sea ensued, backed by Mauritius rescuers—yet zero leads.
The void of information haunts the family. No footage, no incident reports provided. Rassmita Sahu, Sarthak’s mother and a Bhubaneswar hospital staffer, has beseeched CM Majhi, PM Modi, and MEA officials online, portraying herself as a lone voice in despair.
Patnaik’s high-profile push amplifies a story that exposes gaps in seafarer safety nets. As operations continue amid uncertain seas, the narrative shifts from mystery to a clarion call for accountability. Odisha’s political heavyweight ensures this isn’t ignored, fueling hopes that young Sarthak’s fate turns positive soon.