The Nigerian Navy has rescued 20 crew members from a vessel that caught fire along the Calabar stretch of the Oron/Calabar waterways in Cross River State.

The incident occurred on December 22, 2025, when the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) OSE, on routine patrol, responded to a distress call from Motor Vessel (MV) Chimba Express, which was en route Calabar from Gabon conveying scraps and other logistics.

In a statement issued by the Base Operations Officer of Nigerian Navy Ship VICTORY, Lt-Commander Kelechi Ahunanya, NNS OSE received the distress signal about 1.00pm and immediately proceeded to the scene.

On arrival, naval personnel observed thick smoke billowing from the vessel, prompting swift rescue and firefighting operations.

Crew members, who had abandoned the vessel as well as those stranded on deck, were rescued with the aid of lifebuoys and other emergency equipment.

The statement added that 20 crew members were successfully rescued and given first aid.

The vessel had a total crew of 21, made up of 14 Nigerians and seven Cameroonians.

Ahunanya disclosed that the vessel’s Chief Engineer, who reportedly jumped into the water over fears of an imminent explosion, remained missing, adding that search and rescue efforts were ongoing.

He noted that personnel from the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Ibaka, Naval Security Station 030 Houseboat, and local fishermen supported the rescue operation. NNS OSE also deployed portable pumps to contain the fire, which affected the midship and aft sections of the vessel.

The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to the safety of seafarers and the protection of maritime assets within Nigeria’s territorial waters, in line with the operational mandate of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS).