By Abasi Ita
The Nigerian Navy has rescued 20 crew members from a vessel that caught fire along the Calabar stretch of the Oron–Calabar waterway in Cross River State.
The incident occurred on Monday when Motor Vessel Chimba Express, sailing from Gabon to Calabar with scrap materials and other logistics, sent a distress call after a fire erupted onboard.
Naval personnel aboard the Nigerian Navy Ship OSE, which was on routine patrol, responded promptly to the emergency at about 1:00 pm. Upon arrival at the scene, thick smoke was seen billowing from the vessel, prompting immediate rescue and firefighting operations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Base Operations Officer of Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, Lieutenant Commander Kelechi Ahunanya, crew members who had abandoned the vessel and those stranded on deck were rescued using life buoys.
According to the Navy, 20 crew members were successfully evacuated and administered first aid. The vessel was said to have a total crew strength of 21, comprising 14 Nigerians and seven Cameroonians.
Ahunanya revealed that the vessel’s Chief Engineer remains missing after reportedly jumping into the water over fears of an explosion. He added that search and rescue efforts are still ongoing.
The operation was supported by personnel from Forward Operating Base Ibaka, Naval Security Station 030 Houseboat, as well as local fishermen in the area.
The statement further disclosed that NNS OSE deployed portable pumps to combat the fire, which affected the midship and aft sections of the vessel.
Reaffirming the Navy’s commitment, Ahunanya said the service remains dedicated to the safety of seafarers and the protection of maritime assets within Nigeria’s territorial waters, in line with the operational mandate of the Chief of the Naval Staff.