Senegal Launches Emergency Response After Tanker Mersin Floods Near Dakar

Senegalese authorities initiated a rapid emergency response after the tanker Mersin issued a distress call reporting severe flooding in its engine room near the Dakar coast during the night of 27–28 November.

The vessel alerted authorities after water began entering the engine room, prompting an immediate mobilisation by the Senegalese Navy and the Maritime Port Authority. Fearing the risk of an oil spill close to the shoreline, officials deployed tugboats, pollution-control units, and specialised response teams to stabilise the tanker.

To contain the threat, authorities placed anti-pollution booms around the vessel and began fuel-transfer operations, aiming to reduce the environmental risk and keep the flooding under control. Thanks to the swift response, all crew members were safely evacuated from the ship.

The Mersin is a Panamanian-flagged tanker built in 2009, and has had a longer stay outside Dakar according to ShipAtlas data.

An investigation into the cause of the flooding is expected to follow.