Salvaging of stranded MFV Seaflower underway

All fuel in the tanks of the MFV Seaflower, which recently ran aground in Lüderitz, was transferred to another vessel without the occurrence of any oil spillage into the environment. 

The CEO of Fishcor, Alex Gawanab, gave this assurance on Wednesday. “There are no risks of environmental pollution. A further assessment by divers found no visible damage to the hull. Plans are therefore underway to move the vessel to a designated area for observation,” he said. For now, the vessel remains stranded at Penguin Island, where a team of experts is continuing with salvage efforts. 

No foul play - Gawanab explained that the MFV Seaflower has been out of commission for approximately 5 years after a major engine failure, among various other factors. “No foul play is suspected, and no human error is involved, as the vessel was unmanned by personnel at the time of the incident. The vessel was docked at the Namport jetty during this period, but due to congestion at the harbour and for safety reasons, it was amicably agreed between Namport and Fishcor to relocate the vessel and place it on anchor outside the harbour in the bay area. The vessel has been on anchor in the bay since 22 February 2025 and is unmanned during anchorage,” Gawanab said.  

Preliminary assessment – At approximately 13:25 on Monday, 27 April 2026, FISHCOR personnel observed the MFV Seaflower drifting toward Penguin Island. By the time FISHCOR and Namport responded, the vessel had already run aground near Penguin Island and could not be refloated immediately due to adverse weather conditions. 

“A preliminary assessment indicated that the anchor chain had broken off from the MFV Seaflower, causing the vessel to drift from its mooring position. It is evident from visual inspection that the chain broke due to wear and tear, compounded by severe weather conditions (galeforce winds). Unfortunately the chain broke off at a location inside the guide where monthly visible inspection was unable to detect the wear,” Gawanab explained and urged members of the public to refrain from spreading false or misleading information relating to the vessel and the company’s operations.