Following the sinking of a Nigerian tugboat, LEO, in South African seas on Saturday night, a Nigerian national has been officially declared deceased.
According to reports, the ship, carrying eighteen people, went down after running aground in inclement weather. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, however five crew members are still unaccounted for despite the recovery of 12.
The incident was revealed by the Federal Government in a statement given to Dr. Magnus Eze, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media.
The statement claims that when the tugboat came into problems about eighteen nautical miles off the coast between Cape Town and Durban, South African transport authorities notified Nigerian officials. The ship reportedly ran aground during a storm while traveling to Lagos following maintenance in South Africa.
Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said that five people are still missing and that one death has been reported.
She further disclosed that survivors are being transferred to Port Elizabeth, where Nigerian High Commission representatives are anticipated to greet them and offer the assistance they require.
As efforts to find the missing crew members escalate, the Federal Government stated it is keeping regular communication with South African authorities. Although inclement weather has been identified as a contributing factor, maritime officials have not yet ascertained the exact circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
