Supply: @The_Bulrushes
Search continues for 5 Nigerian crew members after MW Leo sinks off Mossel Bay
Reported by The Citizen , a dramatic rescue operation is underway off the coast of Mossel Bay following the sinking of the MW Leo vessel on Saturday night. Authorities confirmed that 5 Nigerian crew members stay lacking, whereas 12 have been rescued alive and one physique has been recovered.
Vessel sinks after misery name
The MW Leo, registered underneath the Comoros flag and owned by Magnet Vitality Restricted in Lagos, Nigeria, despatched a misery sign after taking up uncontrolled water roughly 80 nautical miles south of Mossel Bay. On the time, the ship was en route from Durban to Nigeria.
“The crew deserted ship onto liferafts because the vessel started to sink within the early hours of 1 March 2026,” stated officers. All 18 crew members had been confirmed to be of Nigerian nationality.
Coordinated rescue efforts
The South African Maritime Security Authority (SAMSA) has launched a preliminary investigation, whereas the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Cape City coordinates ongoing search operations. Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Excessive Commissioner, HE Tope Ajayi, is being often up to date on developments.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa expressed their condolences to the households affected and urged endurance as rescue efforts proceed in difficult maritime situations.
Social media posts from native fishermen and maritime fanatics present coastguard vessels and helicopters scanning the waves, capturing the tense and emotional ambiance of the continuing search.
Broader maritime security considerations
This tragedy comes amid renewed deal with maritime security alongside South Africa’s southern coast, an space with busy delivery lanes and unpredictable climate situations. Specialists be aware that fast water ingress is likely one of the most harmful emergencies at sea, and abandoning ship onto liferafts is usually the one method to survive in such eventualities.
A reminder of different native incidents
In a separate incident final month, a 26-year-old Zimbabwean man went lacking whereas wading within the Bot River Lagoon close to Fisherhaven. Regardless of in depth search operations by the NSRI Hermanus, he has not been discovered. Authorities have opened a police investigation, highlighting the persistent dangers related to South Africa’s waterways.
What comes subsequent
Rescue groups proceed to comb the world off Mossel Bay in hopes of finding the 5 lacking Nigerians. The incident underscores the significance of maritime preparedness and fast response. Households of the crew, authorities, and native maritime organizations stay on excessive alert, hoping for a optimistic end result within the days forward.
{Supply: The Citizen}
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