Nigerian Navy Rescues 20 Crew Members from Burning Vessel Off Calabar Waterways
Oru Leonard
The Nigerian Navy has successfully rescued 20 crew members from a burning vessel, Motor Vessel (MV) Chimba Express, along Calabar waterways. The rescue operation was carried out on Monday, December 22, 2025, after Nigerian Navy Ship OSE received a distress call at about 1 pm.
According to Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, Director of Naval Information, the naval personnel observed that some crew members had jumped overboard while others were stranded on the exposed deck. A coordinated effort involving NNS OSE, Naval Security Station 030, and Forward Operating Base Ibaka led to the rescue of 20 crew members, with one person, the Chief Engineer, still missing.
“The successful rescue of 20 persons underscores the visionary leadership and strategic direction of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, whose vision is to develop a modern, agile and professional naval force dedicated to securing Nigeria’s maritime domain,” Adams-Aliu stated.
The Nigerian Navy is continuing its search operation for the missing Chief Engineer.
