A tugboat contracted by oil giant Chevron has sunk off the coast of Nigeria, leaving 12 sailors missing, an official says.
Corrie van Kessel, a spokeswoman for Sea Trucks Group, which owns West African Ventures Limited, operator of the vessel, confirmed the incident happened Sunday morning with 12 crew members on board. She specified that the 12 missing were the vessel's entire crew.
She could not confirm the nationalities of the sailors aboard the Jascon 4, which sank some 15 nautical miles off the Escravos area of Delta State, the site of a Chevron oil terminal.
Van Kessel said it was not yet clear what caused the accident. The vessel had been involved in towing operations for a tanker, she said.
A Nigerian navy spokesman did not immediately respond to phone calls.
US-based Chevron issued a statement confirming the tug had sunk, but referred all questions on the crew to West African Ventures Limited.
Chevron said the vessel "capsized and sank early in the morning of May 26 while supporting a tanker loading at SBM 3, a loading point 30 kilometres (18 miles) offshore in the Escravos area of Delta state.
Initial reports indicated that heavy ocean swells caused the Jascon 4 to capsize while performing tension tow operations of the tanker at SBM 3.
Emergency response has commenced, including search and rescue operation with surface vessels, helicopters and divers.
Chevron gave no further information on the cause of the accident.
A Nigerian navy spokesman did not immediately respond to phone calls.
US-based Chevron issued a statement confirming the tug had sunk, but referred all questions on the crew to West African Ventures Limited.
Chevron said the vessel "capsized and sank early in the morning of May 26 while supporting a tanker loading at SBM 3, a loading point 30 kilometres (18 miles) offshore in the Escravos area of Delta state.
Initial reports indicated that heavy ocean swells caused the Jascon 4 to capsize while performing tension tow operations of the tanker at SBM 3.
Emergency response has commenced, including search and rescue operation with surface vessels, helicopters and divers.
Chevron gave no further information on the cause of the accident.
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