By Roland Ekama
Captain of the ill-fated fishing trawler simply identified as Olokun 12 and one other sailor are still missing DAILY FOCUS NIGERIA has confirmed.
It was gathered that the missing crew, one Indian (Captain) and a Nigerian sailor (name withheld) are yet to be seen after the mishaps.
A top official from the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, who crave anonymity said the despite the rescue the two seafarers are still missing.
Olokun 12 belonging to Banarly Group was hit on Monday by a cargo vessel 10 crew rescued.
It was gathered that the vessel drifted from point of collision at around eastmole to 25+ fathom before finally sinking.
OLOKUN XII capsized on Monday morning after colliding with a containership, MSC CORUNA, in the Lagos channel.
The fishing trawler was being towed by its sister trawler OLOKUN IV in the Lagos channel when it ran into the 5,550 TEU Malta-flagged containership.
The Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT, which was on a routine patrol around the area of the accident, rescued 10 crew members of the fishing trawler.
The rescued crew members were thereafter handed over to the officials of the Fishing Company Limited.
The Commander of NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Malami Haruna, urged seafarers “to navigate with caution and due consideration to the international regulation for prevention of collision when transiting within the nation’s maritime domain”.
He restated the commitment of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo towards ensuring the security of all seafarers within Nigeria’s maritime space.
