By Steve Agbota
The management of Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) in Receivership has said that two more dead bodies were discovered on Sunday afternoon on the deck of the vessel, FPSO Trinity Spirit, that exploded last Wednesday.
The company confirmed on Sunday that three crew members were found alive while an unidentified body was discovered.
SEPCOL, in a statement by its CEO, Ikemefuna Okafor, confirmed that two more dead bodies were discovered on the deck of the vessel in the afternoon of the same Sunday.
Announcing further developments on the ongoing investigations into explosion and fire that engulfed the FPSO Trinity Spirit at the Ukpokiti Terminal in the early hours of Wednesday, February 2, 2022, the company said:
“Per our previous statement, the fire burnt out completely as of Thursday afternoon, February 3, 2022, thus enabling closer inspection of the vessel. Working with the relevant authorities, stakeholders, and expert organisations, a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) took place on Saturday, February 5, 2022.
“We also reported that on Sunday morning, February 6, 2022, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) notified us 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”.
SEPCOL management explained that it 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 was under way.
“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.
“We thank the following organisations who have been of tremendous assistance since the unfortunate incident happened; Clean Nigeria Associates, Chevron, NOSDRA, NUPRC, SPDC, NIMASA, and the communities, particularly the fishermen who helped with the initial rescue,” the statement said.
The company said its Crisis Management Team would continue to monitor developments in the investigations and update all stakeholders with new information accordingly.