Episode 356:

Tugboat of Life

Survival Story of Harrison Okene

Karen

...

Georgia

Episode 356: Tugboat of Life

This week, Karen tells Georgia the rescue and survival story of Harrison Okene.

Listen on Apple Podcasts.
Survival Story of Harrison Okene Notes:

Header Image Source: Photo by Cristian Palmer on Unsplash 

 

"After two days trapped in freezing cold water and breathing from an air bubble in an upturned tugboat under the ocean, Harrison Okene was sure he was going to die. Then a torch light pierced the darkness.  

Ship’s cook Okene, 29, was on board the Jascon-4 tugboat when it capsized on May 26 due to heavy Atlantic ocean swells around 30 km (20 miles) off the coast of Nigeria, while stabilizing an oil tanker filling up at a Chevron platform.

Of the 12 people on board, divers recovered 10 dead bodies while a remaining crew member has not been found.

Somehow Okene survived, breathing inside a four foot high bubble of air as it shrunk in the waters slowly rising from the ceiling of the tiny toilet and adjoining bedroom where he sought refuge, until two South African divers eventually rescued him..."

-Source: “Nigerian cook survives two days under sea in shipwreck air bubble” by Joe Brock (Reuters)

Survival Story of Harrison Okene