A tragic accident struck the Nigerian Navy on Thursday evening when the EPENAL gunboat, NNS Delta DE 24, capsized in the Escravos waterway off Warri South-West, Delta State. The vessel, returning from a medical outreach in Okerenkoko, was carrying 15 people nine naval personnel and six civilians including NYSC members when it overturned around 7:45 p.m. near a Chevron facility. Rescue teams recovered 12 occupants, but six were pronounced dead on arrival and three two officers and one corps member remained missing as search efforts continue.
Confirmed fatalities include Commander JO Eidangbe, Petty Officer Abolarinwa, Ordinary Seaman Tena, two NYSC members (Miss Chinenye and Miss Dorcas), and Master Destiny, the boat’s civilian operator. Missing are Lieutenant DK Nehemiah, Sub‑Lieutenant Kwala, and another NYSC member, Miss Uche. Navy-led divers have resumed recovery operations, and survivors are being treated at Chevron’s clinic.
The ill-fated mission was part of “Operation Delta Sanity II,” a humanitarian initiative by NNS Delta and the EMT Foundation. Commodore Abdulazeez Zubairu, who led the outreach, emphasised the Navy’s dedication to civil‑military cooperation and security in the creeks. As Delta residents and Navy personnel mourn the loss, calls for a thorough investigation into the capsize have gained urgency amid grief and shock.
