The Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy has successfully rescued 20 crew members from a commercial vessel that caught fire along the Calabar Channel, Cross River State, in a swift response operation on Monday, December 22, 2025.
The rescue followed a distress call received at about 1:00 pm from Motor Vessel CHIMBA EXPRESS, which was en route from Gabon to Calabar conveying scrap materials and other logistics. The vessel had 21 persons on board, comprising 14 Nigerians and seven Cameroonians.
Acting on the operational directive of the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral CD Okehie, the Nigerian Navy Ship NNS OSE, which was on routine patrol under the Eastern Fleet, was immediately diverted to the scene.
Upon arrival, naval personnel observed thick smoke billowing from the vessel and promptly initiated a coordinated rescue operation. Crew members who had abandoned ship, as well as those stranded on the weather deck, were evacuated. Twenty crew members were safely rescued and administered first aid on site.
However, the vessel’s Chief Engineer, who reportedly jumped into the water over fears of a possible explosion, remains missing. The Nigerian Navy has confirmed that an extensive search and rescue operation is ongoing.
Naval intervention also helped to contain the fire, restricting it to the midship and aft sections of the vessel. This prevented the blaze from spreading to the forecastle, where combustible materials and logistics were stored, thereby averting a potentially catastrophic incident.
The operation was supported by personnel from other Nigerian Navy units within the Eastern axis, as well as local fishermen, highlighting effective inter-agency collaboration and civil-military cooperation in maritime emergency response.
Speaking on behalf of the Commander of Nigerian Navy Ship VICTORY, the Base Operations Officer, Lieutenant Commander KK Ahunanya, commended the professionalism and gallantry of the officers and ratings involved in the operation. He reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to ensuring maritime safety, security and the protection of lives and property within Nigeria’s maritime domain, in line with the vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff.
The successful rescue further underscores the operational readiness of the Eastern Naval Command and reinforces public confidence in the Nigerian Navy’s capacity to safeguard the nation’s waterways.
