The Nigerian Navy has rescued ten crew members from a distressed cargo vessel, MV SEMA III, which encountered difficulties off the Calabar waters while en route from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to Calabar, Cross River State.
According to a statement by Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, Director of Naval Information, the rescue operation was carried out on Friday, 7 November 2025, by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) IBAKA.
Acting on a distress call received around 2000 hours, a naval gunboat equipped with a submersible pump was swiftly deployed to the scene. Upon arrival, the team found the vessel taking in water and promptly evacuated all ten crew members — comprising one Cameroonian, one Equatorial Guinean, and eight Nigerians.
The rescued individuals were taken to FOB IBAKA, where they were debriefed and provided with necessary care before being released on Saturday, 8 November 2025.
The Master of MV SEMA III commended the Navy for its timely response and professionalism, describing the intervention as life-saving.
Commodore Adams-Aliu noted that the operation reflects the Nigerian Navy’s renewed commitment under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (Admiralty Medal), to ensuring maritime safety, safeguarding critical national assets, and promoting lawful economic activities within Nigeria’s maritime domain.
