Fire On Britania U Vessel In Niger Delta, All Crew Members Rescued

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) reported a fire on a drilling vessel platform, Britania U, at Ajakpa Field (OML 90), 10.77 nautical miles south of Forcadoes Terminal in Delta State, Nigeria, on Friday.

However, NIMASA stated that all 19 crew members on the ill-fated Britania U drilling platform were successfully rescued from the vessel.

Osagie Edward, Head of Public Relations at NIMASA, said in a statement that the agency worked with other responding agencies and first responders to ensure the safe rescue and evacuation of the crew and other exposed persons during the incident.

“On Thursday, July 18, 2024, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) received signals from the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (RMRCC) Lagos that Britania U, a drilling platform, was in distress at Ajakpa Field (OML 90), 10.77 nautical miles south of Forcadoes Terminal in Delta State, Nigeria.

“All nineteen crew members of the ill-fated Britania U drilling platform were successfully rescued from the vessel.

“The agency worked with other responding agencies and first responders to ensure the safe rescue and evacuation of the crew and other vulnerable individuals during the incident.

“Dr. Dayo Mobereola, the Director General of NIMASA, has established an incident command centre in the office of the Agency’s Executive Director Operations to develop an effective situation-based response plan in the event of an oil spill or other incident affecting the marine environment and navigation safety.”

“Furthermore, in line with its mandate under the Merchant Shipping Act 2007, the Agency’s Marine Accident Investigation Unit has launched an investigation into the direct and remote causes of this unfortunate mishap.

“The outcome of the investigation will be published and recommendations arising therefrom will be implemented,” reads the statement in parts.