The vessel is owned by the company called Magnet Energy Limited, based in Lagos, Nigeria, said the department.
The Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, and the Transport Deputy Minister, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, have confirmed the death of one Nigerian crew member following the sinking of the MW Leo vessel, near Mossel Bay on Saturday evening.
The search is ongoing for five crew members who have been missing since the incident.
According to the department, the MW Leo, registered under the Comoros flag, transmitted a distress signal on Saturday evening, reporting uncontrolled water ingress.
At the time, the vessel was approximately 80 nautical miles south of Mossel Bay, on a single voyage from Durban to Nigeria.
The vessel is owned by the company called Magnet Energy Limited, based in Lagos, Nigeria, said the department.
“The crew reportedly abandoned ship onto the veFERsel’s liferafts, and the vessel subsequently sank in the early hours of 01 March 2026.
“The vessel had a total of eighteen crew members on board, all confirmed to be of Nigerian nationality. Twelve crew members have since been rescued alive; one body has been recovered, with five crew members still missing.”
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The South African Maritime Authority (SAMSA) has initiated a preliminary investigation, and the incident is being coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Cape Town, said the department.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria’s High Commissioner, HE Tope Ajayi, is kept abreast of the developments on an ongoing basis.
Creecy and Hlengwa have expressed their condolences.
Zimbabwean man missing
In a separate incident last month, a Zimbabwean man, aged 26, went missing, reportedly while wading in the Bot River Lagoon.
On Saturday evening, 14 February, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning at the Bot River Lagoon, near Fisherhaven.
On arrival on the scene, it was determined that earlier, a Zimbabwean man had gone missing, reportedly while wading in the Lagoon.
The missing man was with a friend at the time – they reportedly regularly fished together at the Lagoon, said the NSRI.
Despite extensive search efforts, there remains no sign of the missing man.
Police have opened an investigation.
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