West African Ventures Ltd, owners of the offshore oil service tugboat that capsized and killed 12 crew members last May 26, 2013, has said the tragic incident was caused by rough winds.
The company's Chairman and Chief Executive, Operations, Jacques Doomas, said the tugboat, Jacson 4, was on loading operations for Chevron Nigeria Limited when its tension rope snapped.
He said, "It was about 5am when the accident happened. The vessel was one of the three assisting a tanker to its crude oil loading point when this very tragic accident happened.
"The sea was very rough and the massive waves were beating against the vessel's hull and superstructure while the wind was very strong which usually is the case during the rainy season.
"This condition caused the tension rope to snap without warning which immediately unbalanced the vessel causing it to capsize.
"The subsequent massive and extensive search and rescue operations undertaken by divers found only one survivor, Mr. Harrison Okene, who is the ship's cook, 63 hours after the incident happened."
Doomas, who said investigations were ongoing, added that there were indications that during loading operations, the heavy weather caused the tanker to break free from the single point mooring buoy, resulting in its drifting without control.
He said prior to the tanker breaking free, oil loading operations had been suspended but it was still connected to the oil loading lines connected to the buoy.
The Punch