By Peter Omopo
At least 12 people have been rescued after a Nigerian tugboat, LEO, sank off the coast of South Africa late Saturday night.
The vessel, which was reportedly in South Africa for repairs, had 18 persons on board at the time of the incident. It was said to have run aground in stormy waters about 18 nautical miles offshore between Cape Town and Durban while returning to Lagos.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, confirmed on Monday that one person had been declared dead, while search and rescue operations were still ongoing.
In a statement issued by her media aide, Magnus Eze, the minister disclosed that Nigeria was notified of the incident by South Africa’s Ministry of Transportation.
She further stated that the South African Maritime Safety Authority had informed Nigerian authorities that the rescued crew members were being transported to Port Elizabeth.
Officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa were said to be en route to receive the survivors and provide necessary assistance.
