Twelve persons have been rescued following the sinking of a Nigerian tugboat in South African waters, while one death has been confirmed and five others remain missing.
South African transportation authorities confirmed that the tugboat, identified as LEO, was carrying 18 persons when it ran aground late Saturday night amid severe storm conditions.
The vessel had reportedly traveled to South Africa for repairs and was en route back to Lagos when it encountered rough seas approximately 18 nautical miles offshore between Cape Town and Durban.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed on Monday that the South African Ministry of Transportation formally notified Nigerian authorities of the incident.
According to the minister, one individual has been confirmed dead, while search and rescue operations are ongoing for the five persons still unaccounted for.
“The South African Ministry of Transportation informed us of this development,” she stated.
She further revealed that the South African Maritime Safety Authority has begun conveying the rescued survivors to Port Elizabeth, where officials of the Nigerian High Commission are heading to receive them.
Search efforts continue as authorities work to locate the missing crew members.
Further updates are expected as the situation unfolds.