Death toll from the scene of the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO), unit that exploded last Wednesday at Escravos area of Delta State has risen to three.
Rescuers on Sunday recovered two more death bodies onboard the ill-fated FPSO, bringing the total bodies recovered to three.
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Three crewmen were also rescued in a nearby village by a combined team of emergency workers deployed to the area in the wake of the explosion.
The one yet-to-be-identified dead body was recovered from the scene of the unfortunate incident on Thursday.
Daily Trust had reported that FPSO TRINITY SPIRIT had exploded at the Ukpokiti Terminal in the early hours of Wednesday, February 2, 2022.
Giving an update on the incident in a statement issued on Monday, the Management of Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL), owners of FPSO TRINITY SPIRIT, and signed by its Chief Executive Officer, Ikenefuna Okafor, said the fire burnt out completely as of Thursday afternoon, February 3, 2022, thus enabling closer inspection of the vessel.
Okafor said, working with the relevant authorities, stakeholders, and expert organisations, a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) took place on Saturday, February 5 2022, and that SEPCOL management also reported that on Sunday morning, February 6, 2022, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) notified them of a dead body found floating in the vicinity of the
FPSO.
“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.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all the victims of this unfortunate incident, and we are on hand to provide support to them as required.
“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.
“Furthermore, our efforts are geared towards cleaning up the area to minimise any damage to the environment and seeking to ascertain the exact cause of the explosion,” he said.
Okafor further stated that SEPCOL Crisis Management Team will continue to monitor developments in the investigations and update all stakeholders with new information accordingly.
