The Dutch captain of a Cameroonian-flagged motor fishing vessel AFKI, MFV AFKI, with registration number UK12 and IMO number AFKI 8432780, which reportedly drifted off her course for four weeks, Mr. Peter Van Der Molen, has lauded the Nigerian Navy for successfully rescuing the vessel and the crew members from the high seas.
Molen expressed the gratitude of the shipping crew to the Nigerian Navy, on Tuesday evening while speaking with journalists at Madagho community, Escravos, in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, where the Navy Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base, Escravos, Navy Captain Olayinka Aliu, is currently keeping them.
The Dutch captain narrated how the Nigerian Navy provided them with food and other essentials throughout the duration, as they had already exhausted virtually everything on them.
Also speaking, the Commanding Officer, Forward Operation Base, Escravos, Navy Captain Aliu, reassured seafarers and indeed other maritime operators of “the commitments of the Nigerian Navy to collaborate with local and strategic partners and allies to ensure the safety and security of vessels, as well as crew members, who carry out legitimate businesses in or transit Nigerian maritime environment.”
Aliu added that in this regard, the deployment of NN platforms in the Search and Rescue, SAR, of the Cameroonian registered fishing vessel, MFV AFKI, was in line with the NN’s statutory role for Safety of Life at Sea, SLS, and also in line with the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla’s Command Philosophy, which is to lead the NN with integrity, courage and relentless pursuit of excellence through teamwork, discipline and human capacity building, whilst upholding highest standard and professionalism, ethics and respect for human right.
