Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo
In compliance with the Nigerian Navy’s role of Search and Rescue as well as
responsibility towards the safety of lives and property in Nigeria’s maritime
environment, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) OKPABANA rescued a Surfer passenger
boat, NUE SWIFT.
The rescue mission was carried out off Bonny Fairway Buoy at
about 2pm on Tuesday.
The 16 metre Surfer Passenger Boat MV NUE
SWIFT, which belongs to a Lagos-based Oil Service Company, had a crew of 5
Nigerians onboard.
The boat lost her means of propulsion at Agbara Platform while
transiting from Forcados to Bonny Single Buoy Mooring and drifted for about 32 hours
without any help or assistance.
NNS OKPABANA in swift response to the boat’s distress message, located MV NUE
SWIFT and towed the boat to Bonny Anchorage.
Accordingly, the crew members were medically evaluated and counselled by Nigerian Navy medical personnel onboard NNS OKPABANA.
Thereafter, the crew and the boat were handed over to the Commanding
Officer, Nigerian Navy Forward Operations Base BONNY, on 6 July 2022 at about
10am, for onward transfer to the Company’s representatives.
The Nigerian Navy, under the leadership of Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo,
remains committed to her constitutional duty of promoting, co-coordinating and
enforcing safety regulations in the territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone
of Nigeria amongst other constitutional roles.
source: nigerian navy