Nine West African Examinations Council (WAEC) officials, as well as a Swedish Captain and a Chinese crew member, have been reported missing after the cargo ship Niko Ivanka sank off the coast of Liberia over the weekend.
Despite being detained for failing to meet basic safety requirements, the Liberian-registered Niko Ivanka left the capital, Monrovia, on Saturday for a port in the country's south.
The ship had been barred from setting sail, according to Maritime Commissioner Eugene Nagbe.
That afternoon, the ship sent out a distress signal to alert the coastguard that it had taken on water. It had already partially sunk by the time authorities arrived.
Commissioner Nagbe told reporters on Monday that the ship's manifest listed eighteen people, 11 of whom had been rescued during a 36-hour search.
Those who were rescued, however, stated that there were approximately 28 people on board, leaving 17 people missing.
“For the time being, our primary concern is a search and rescue mission. “My priority is to save the lives of those who have gone missing,” Nagbe explained.
It was unclear how or why the ship was able to leave port, or if it was carrying any cargo at the time.
The vessel's owner, a Chinese national, was apprehended on Sunday afternoon, according to Nagbe.
“Despite the fact that the vessel was not a passenger-authorized vessel, it had passengers on board. So, in the coming days, the investigation will determine how many people were on board,” Jarlaywah Tonpoe, Deputy Information Minister, told reporters.
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