The wrecked China-made ship. Telegraph picture

Kendrapara, June 14: Forest personnel have stumbled upon the wreckage of a Chinese vessel that ran aground along the Gahirmatha coast close to the Wheelers’ island missile test range in Kendrapara district triggering security concerns.

The medium-range ship — Jewn Jyi Rong — is badly damaged and split into two parts. The wreckage has come under security scanner, as it is a China-made ship. The security concerns are because of the fact that it has been sighted near the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)’s test range centre.

“Forest personnel are keeping round-the-clock watch on the foreign vessel wreck. The organisation and the coast guard have been alerted,” said a forest official.

“Yesterday during the course of official visit of the Ekakulanasi island, we made a chance discovery of the ship wreck. It was found firmly anchored along the coast. After being drifted along, it had suffered extensive damage in both outwardly and inwardly. It might have come in contact with the underwater rocks that lead to its sinking. It had visible marks of burning,” said Manoj Kumar Mahapatra, divisional forest officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division.

The ship is about 80 feet long, 30 feet wide and 20 feet high. Portions of the wreck are still submerged under shoreline seawater.

The state forest department has drawn attention of the DRDO personnel and coast guard (Paradip). A complaint has been lodged with the marine wing of state police for security cover to the Chinese ship wreckage.

The wreckage is learnt to have landed along the Gahirmatha coast about a week ago. But, it had gone unnoticed.

There are reports of some locals from nearby Pravati village trying to go through the debris to retrieve articles.

“The coast guard personnel are trying to reach out to the wreck spot. But, they are facing hurdle due to rough sea,” said Saroj Kumar Sahu, coast guard commandant, Paradip.

“From the information available to us, it has been ascertained that the aground ship was a Chinese one that had sunken off East Srilankan coast about six months ago. Since then, there had been no trace of the sunken Chinese sea-worthy vessel. We believe that the debris is that of the particular Chinese ship that sank earlier this year. As a security measure, we would inspect the debris,” Sahu said.

In fact, the debris has been posing hindrance to fishing vessels along the country’s southern coast for quite some time. “The coast guard had issued alert asking the crew and mariners to be extra cautious while venturing into deep sea because of the wreck,” Sahu said.

“As per the international marine law, Kendrapara collector would remain custodian of the sunken ship till its owner turn up to lay claim over it. The wreck needs to be salvaged from the coast as it might lead to coastal erosion,” Sahu said.

“The matter is taken up with competent authorities for salvage operation of the wreck,” said Kendrapara collector Pradipta Kumar Pattnaik.