India, Aug. 29 -- The mystery surrounding the sinking of Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner, about 290 nautical miles off the Paradip coast in the Bay of Bengal, has deepened after two Chinese crew members rescued from the tragedy recounted how the vessel disappeared beneath the sea within minutes.

The two survivors, Pan Tonglai and Chen Jianh, were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard ship Varad and brought to Paradip on Thursday. They later shared details of the incident with officials from the Mercantile Marine Department, Indian Coast Guard, Paradip Port Authority, immigration authorities and the shipping agency through an interpreter.

According to the survivors, the vessel's master raised the alarm at around 10.30 p.m. on Aug...