/ 22 August 2001

NIGERIAN NAVY RESCUES STRANDED SHIP

THE Nigerian navy has rescued a ship stranded at sea with around 200 passengers aboard which was running out of food and water. The Nigerian-owned MV Mulolinja was rescued on Saturday in difficulties off the coast of Brass, a town in southern Bayelsa State, the newspaper The Punch reported. The ship has been re-supplied with food and water and three doctors and nurses have gone aboard to tend to some of the passengers who had fallen ill, the newspaper said. The vessel had left Gabon last week and was heading for Benin with around 200 passengers aboard when its engine failed and it started drifting. – AFP