By Kingsley Omonobi
The Nigerian Navy has rescued 20 crew members from a fire-engulfed vessel, Motor Vessel (MV) Chimba Express, following a swift and coordinated emergency operation along the Calabar waterways.
The rescue operation was carried out on Monday, December 22, 2025, after a distress call was received by Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) OSE during a routine sea patrol.
Confirming the development on Tuesday, the Director of Naval Public Relations, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, said the operation commenced at about 1:00 p.m. when the naval patrol team responded to reports of a fire incident onboard the vessel.
According to him, upon arrival at the scene, naval personnel observed that some crew members had jumped into the water to escape the flames, while others were trapped on the exposed deck of the vessel.
He said a coordinated rescue effort involving personnel from NNS OSE, Naval Security Station 030, and Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ibaka led to the successful rescue of 20 crew members.
Adams-Aliu disclosed that there were 21 persons onboard the vessel at the time of the incident, adding that search and rescue operations were ongoing to locate the remaining crew member, identified as the Chief Engineer.
He noted that the successful operation underscored the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to maritime safety and security, as well as the strategic leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas.
According to him, the Chief of the Naval Staff’s vision remains focused on building a modern, agile, and professional naval force capable of effectively securing Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Efforts to determine the cause of the fire incident are ongoing.
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