NIMASA, Addax Rescue Ship Passengers Offshore Calabar

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has rescued  29 survivors after a wooden passenger boat identified as MV Sonny capsized 40 nautical miles offshore Calabar, Cross River State.

According to Hajia Lami Tumaka, Head, Corporate Affairs, NIMASA, the wooden craft which departed the Ebughu Jetty, Mbo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State capsized at about 2200 hours on the 16th March, 2013.

She said: “The survivors who include 8 Nigerians and 19 foreign nationals are undergoing medical examinations and further attention at Calabar and Oron based hospitals.

 “Two survivors with severe burns are receiving medical attention at the Nigerian Maritime Academy Medical Centre, Oron.

The survivors, are Kareem Seradeke, a 20 year old male Burkinabe and, Adel Djanoka, a 24 year-old female Togolese.

Also receiving medical treatment at Calabar, Cross River State are two persons with varying degree of injuries.

The ill fated boat with no manifest had unconfirmed number of passengers and crew on her voyage to Gabon.

The wooden boat had called at a remote island off Oron where passengers apparently embarked, Tumaka, explained, adding that preliminary rescue reports indicate that the survivors were rescued by a team of Addax Petroleum and Kaztec Engineering Limited who initiated on-site salvage of the passengers.

Nine recovered bodies have been deposited at the Calabar Teaching Hospital.

Information from one of the survivors confirmed that the incident occurred after the vessel hit an under-water object. This resulted in the boat taking-in of water that led to eventual capsize of the boat.

The Agency confirmed that MV Sonny is not a Nigerian flagged boat.

Another surviving passenger said the wooden boat departed the remote island off Oron under darkness to evade security agencies.

The Agency commends the timely response of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Addax Petroleum and Kaztec Engineering Nigeria Limited in the rescue exercise.

Full investigation reports in respect of the accident are expected at the completion of the rescue operations by the Agency.