The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has confirmed an oil spill in the Bonny Channel area of Rivers
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has confirmed an oil spill in the Bonny Channel area of Rivers State following a collision between two vessels.
The incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. on 20 May in the Bonny Inner Anchorage. The vessels involved were identified as the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Valparaiso and the Nigerian-flagged tanker MT Lady Martina.
Following the collision, MT Lady Martina drifted ashore and is currently aground along the Bonny Channel, while MV Valparaiso remains grounded at the Bonny Inner Anchorage pending damage assessment and investigation.
NIMASA said its Deep Blue Forward Operating Base in Bonny received a distress alert and deployed 10 armed operatives on interceptor boat DB 214 to the scene.
Five crew members aboard MT Lady Martina were injured and evacuated to receive medical treatment. An oil sheen was observed in the water following the collision, raising concerns about environmental impact.
The Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dayo Mobereola, has ordered a full investigation into the cause of the collision and activated a Situation Monitoring Room to coordinate response efforts.
The agency has also begun an environmental impact assessment and is working to contain the spill and limit further marine damage.
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