India, Aug. 22 -- A cargo ship carrying iron ore from Paradip port to China has reportedly gone missing after losing contact about 200 nautical miles off the coast, prompting the Indian Coast Guard and Navy to launch a search and rescue operation, officials said.

The Panama-flagged vessel, which left Paradip at about 10:30 p.m. on August 20, laden with 1700 tonnes of iron ore fines, was last reported to have been sailing about 200 nautical miles from the port when communication was lost, sources in Paradip Port Authority said.

The vessel was carrying 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese nationals, 1 Bangladeshi, and 3 Myanmar nationals, according to preliminary information. The exact status of the ship and its crew could not be indepen...