One person has been confirmed dead, and five others are still unaccounted for after a Nigerian tugboat sank off the South African coast late Saturday night.
The tugboat, named LEO, was carrying 18 individuals when it reportedly ran aground approximately 18 nautical miles from shore in rough waters between Cape Town and Durban.
The vessel was in South Africa for repairs and was heading to Lagos at the time of the incident.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this on Monday, referencing official communications from South African officials.
She stated that South Africa’s Ministry of Transportation confirmed that 12 people were rescued, one body was recovered, and search efforts are still underway for the five missing crew members.
“The South African Ministry of Transportation informed us of this situation,” the minister noted.
She added that the South African Maritime Safety Authority quickly initiated rescue operations after receiving the distress signal.
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The rescued crew members are currently being taken to Port Elizabeth.
Officials from the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa are on their way to assist the survivors and provide necessary consular support.
Nigerian diplomatic representatives are working with local authorities to ensure medical care and other assistance for those rescued, while search and recovery operations continue for the missing crew members.
Although the exact cause of the incident has not been officially determined, authorities suggest that poor weather conditions may have played a role in the vessel running aground.
