RismadarVoice Reporters, March 2, 2026
12 crew members of a Nigerian tugboat have been rescued after the vessel sank off the South African coast late Saturday night, authorities have confirmed.
One person has died, while five others remain missing.
The tugboat, named LEO, reportedly had 18 people on board.
It had traveled to South Africa for repairs but ran aground about 18 nautical miles offshore in stormy waters between Cape Town and Durban during its return voyage to Lagos.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed on Monday that the South African Ministry of Transportation formally notified Nigerian authorities of the incident.
In a statement issued in Abuja by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, the minister confirmed that search and rescue operations are ongoing for the five missing crew members.
She said the South African Maritime Safety Authority is currently conveying the rescued crew to Port Elizabeth, where officials from the Nigerian High Commission are en route to receive them.
“The South African Ministry of Transportation informed us of this development,” the statement read.
“The South African Maritime Safety Authority has also informed that survivors are presently being conveyed to Port Elizabeth.”
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, and further details are expected as rescue and recovery efforts progress.
