Two fishermen from Neves in SaôTomē and Principe, who were allegedly lost in the Atlantic Ocean for five days, have been rescued in the Brass Council Area of Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria.
The fishermen, Antonio Sabino and Osorio Pires, were reportedly rescued by a trawler fishing in the Gulf of Guinea and handed over to fishermen from Okpoama-Brass who took them ashore.
Bayelsa State Police Command, which confirmed the incident said, the Divisional Police Officer of Okpoama Division, Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, has taken custody of the two fishermen, adding that they were rescued by a captain of a fishing trawler at 50 nautical miles off the Atlantic Ocean, on 2 July 2023.
According to the Chairman of the Okpoama Kingdom Security Committee, Chief Munalayefa William-Sinte, the highly malnourished men were clothed and fed before they were handed over to the police for necessary action.
He said the Portuguese-speaking fishermen, who were visibly worried, were demonstrating with sign language before they were handed over to the police, as it appears impossible to communicate with them because of the language barrier.
Meanwhile, the Police authorities have established contact with a coast guard officer from Saô Tomē and Principe and are making concerted effort to reunite them with their families.
