30 October 2015, Lagos – The management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will continue to put the area, where some crew members were drown following a collision of their ship with another vessel, under surveillance, the Acting Director General, Haruna Baba Jauro has said.
The agency, which is the designated authority (DA) in the implementation of the ISPS Code, stated that the need to keep a watch over the scene of the incident was to ensure that the safety of the personnel and equipment of those carrying out the rescue operation and investigations into the cause of the incident.
The search and rescue (SAR) team of the agency had earlier rescued three crew members and recovered one body from an incident which occurred about 65 miles from shore, just 10 nautical miles south west of the Bonga FPSO near Warri, Delta State where two vessels; MT Elixir and MT Tank collided midstream.
According to him, the incident occurred at about 12 midnight last Monday and that MT Tank got broken in the process and sank into the water.
He explained that a thorough investigation into the incident would enable the agency to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the incident.
While expressing sadness over the loss of life caused by the incident, he enjoined crew members to exercise more caution during navigation in Nigeria waters, particularly around terminals.
He disclosed that the three rescued crew members are receiving treatment in Warri, while the body of the deceased has been deposited at the mortuary.
The acting DG was, however, silent on the payment of compensation to the families of those affected by the incident, a development, which drew the ire of close relations of the victims.
- This Day
