12 Nigerians Rescued, One Dead, Five Missing in South Africa Boat Mishap

Twelve Nigerians have been rescued after a Nigerian tugboat, LEO, conveying 18 persons, sank in South African waters late Saturday night. One person has been confirmed dead, while five others remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.

The Federal Government confirmed the incident on Monday in a statement signed by Dr. Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

According to the statement, South African transportation authorities reported that the vessel, which had travelled to South Africa for repairs, ran aground about 18 nautical miles offshore in stormy conditions between Cape Town and Durban while returning to Lagos.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed that the South African Ministry of Transportation confirmed the rescue of 12 occupants and one fatality, with five persons still unaccounted for.

“The South African Ministry of Transportation informed us of this development,” she said.

She added that the South African Maritime Safety Authority had conveyed that the rescued survivors were being transported to Port Elizabeth, where officials of the Nigerian High Commission were en route to receive them.

The minister further assured that search and rescue efforts remain ongoing, as South African authorities continue coordinated operations to locate the missing crew members.

The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to closely monitoring the situation and providing necessary consular assistance to the affected Nigerians and their families.