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Personnel of the Nigerian Navy have successfully rescued 20 crew members from a burning vessel, MV Chimba Express, following a fire incident along the Calabar waterways.
The swift and coordinated rescue operation was carried out after Nigerian Navy Ship OSE (NNS OSE), while on routine patrol, received a distress call from the vessel at about 1:00 pm on Monday.
In a statement, the Director of Naval Information, Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, said that upon arrival at the scene, naval personnel found that some crew members had jumped into the water to escape the fire, while others were trapped on the exposed deck of the vessel.
According to him, personnel from NNS OSE, Naval Security Station 030, and Forward Operating Base Ibaka immediately launched a joint rescue effort, leading to the successful evacuation of 20 crew members.
Adams-Aliu confirmed that 21 persons were on board MV Chimba Express at the time of the incident, adding that a search operation is ongoing for one missing crew member, identified as the Chief Engineer.
While efforts continue to locate the missing officer, the Navy said the rescue underscores its high level of operational readiness and inter-unit coordination.
The statement also credited the outcome to the leadership and strategic direction of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Idi Abbas, whose vision, it said, is to build a modern, agile and professional naval force capable of securing Nigeria’s maritime domain.
