The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA,working with officials of Total Energies EP Nigeria Limited, rescued occupants of a distressed fishing vessel belonging to a national of the São Tomé e Príncipe, which was adrift in the ocean for 11 days.
On noticing a distressed vessel at sea around Offshore Operational Field (OML) 100, a rescue team from Total Energies Nigeria Limited immediately sent signals to the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (RMRCC), located in NIMASA, informing the agency of the situation.
In line with the Safety of Lives at Sea (SOLAS) protocol of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the Total team promptly initiated a rescue operation and immediately handed over the occupants of the distressed vessel to NIMASA, while the boat was anchored at OSHE HONMI (OML 100).
Through its Search and Rescue (SARS) clinic, NIMASA provided first aid, and later comprehensive medical attention to the distressed passenger, who speaks only Portuguese and has since been handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service to ensure he returns to his country.
NIMASA Director General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh applauded the cooperation between the agency and Total Energies for the swift response, noting that safety of the maritime sector is cardinal to the heart of the current leadership of the establishment.
“We will continue to prioritise safety of lives and property in the maritime sector, while also embracing collaboration as a tool to actualizing our mandate. Safety is everyone’s business, hence we must continue to preach safety in the day-to-day affairs of the Nigerian maritime sector”, Jamoh said.
NIMASA recently acquired five enforcement vessels to enhance its Flag, Port state and SARS operations in the Nigerian maritime domain.
SOLAS is an IMO Convention ratified by Nigeria, with NIMASA as the implementing body.
