Tragedy struck late Saturday night after a Nigerian tugboat sank in South African waters, leaving one crew member confirmed dead, 12 rescued, and five others still missing, Truth live news reports.
The vessel, identified as LEO, reportedly had 18 persons on board at the time of the incident. It was said to have travelled to South Africa for technical repairs and was returning to Lagos when it ran into difficulty in stormy conditions. Maritime reports indicate the tugboat ran aground approximately 18 nautical miles offshore between Cape Town and Durban before eventually sinking.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, confirmed the development on Monday in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, the South African Ministry of Transportation formally notified Nigerian authorities of the incident shortly after it occurred.
“The South Africa Ministry of Transportation informed us of this unfortunate development,” the minister said. “The South African Maritime Safety Authority has confirmed that 12 crew members were successfully rescued. They are currently being transported to Port Elizabeth, where officials of the Nigeria High Commission are on their way to receive them.”
She disclosed that one fatality had been recorded, while coordinated search and rescue operations were ongoing to locate the five missing crew members. Emergency teams are reportedly battling challenging sea conditions as they continue recovery efforts.
Officials have not yet released the identities of the deceased or the missing crew members, pending notification of their families.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority is leading the rescue mission, working alongside other emergency response agencies. Nigerian diplomatic officials are also liaising closely with South African authorities to monitor developments and provide necessary consular assistance to the survivors.
The incident adds to growing concerns over maritime safety in regional waters, particularly during adverse weather conditions.
Further details are expected as investigations continue into the cause of the sinking.
