As the search and rescue team intensifies their effort after the Shebah Exploration and Production Company (SEPCOL) oil vessel explosion in Nigeria’s Niger Delta last week, two more bodies have been recovered.
The development was contained in a statement by the Chief Executive Officer, SEPCOL, Mr Ikemefuna Okafor, which was sent to DAILY POST in Abuja on Monday, saying the corpses were found floating on Sunday.
After the unfortunate incident, the management of SEPCOL announced that it has commenced investigation to ascertain the cause of the explosion bearing in mind that the vessel has all safety measures put in place before it was engulfed in fire.
The statement said: “The Management announced further developments on the ongoing investigations into the unfortunate explosion and fire that engulfed the FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading).
“Trinity Spirit at the Ukpokiti Terminal in the early hours of Wednesday, 2nd of February 2022.
“Per our previous statement, the fire burnt out completely as of Thursday afternoon, 3rd of February 2022, thus enabling closer inspection of the vessel.
“Working with the relevant authorities, stakeholders, and expert organisations, a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) took place on Saturday, 5th February 2022.”
Earlier on Sunday, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) informed the SEPCOL management that two corpses were reportedly floating in its vicinity, stressing that, “we can confirm today that two further dead bodies were discovered on the deck of the vessel in the afternoon of the same Sunday.
“We have made incident reports to the police and relevant authorities to assist the ongoing investigation, and due process to establish the identities of the dead bodies is underway.
“Thus far, the potential total number of the crew members accounted for is six, including the three persons who were found alive last week.
“Our priority remains focused towards establishing the whereabouts, safety, and security of the four crew members still missing.”
