Tragedy befell the Nigerian Navy on Thursday night after a gunboat carrying 15 personnel and civilians capsized along the waterways in Escravos, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Leadership reports that following a rescue operation, six individuals were confirmed dead.
Among the deceased were a naval commander (name withheld), two youth corps members (names withheld) attached to NNS Delta at the Warri Naval Base, a civilian driver, and two naval personnel.
Three people, two naval personnel and one female youth corps member, have been declared missing.
It was learnt that six survivors of the incident are currently receiving medical treatment at the medical facility of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) in Escravos.
The ill-fated naval gunboat was reportedly en route to a nearby naval formation when the mishap occurred.
An internal memorandum issued by the authorities at the Navy’s Forward Operating Base (FOB), Escravos, and seen by reporters late Friday night, confirmed details of the tragic event.
The memo, titled “Fob Escravos Special Sitrep As At 032330 Jul. 25,” stated:
“At about 1945, NNS Delta Epenal gunboat (de 24) capsized at POS Lat 05° 36.408’n Long 005° 11.982′ e in front of Chevron Nigeria Limited (cnl).
“The gunboat was conveying 15 people comprising 9 personnel and 6 civilians from FOB Escravos to their hotel accommodation in Arunton community before the incident occurred.
“The swift intervention of the search and rescue team made the team recovered seven personnel and five civilians while two personnel and one civilian are still missing.
“The rescued people were rushed to CNL clinic for first aid treatment, on arrival, three personnel and three civilians were confirmed dead by the chief medical officer on duty.”
“However, search is still ongoing for three missing persons.”