Business Reporter
THE Acting Executive Director within the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, David Iigonda, giving an update with regard to an Ammonia leak incident in Walvis Bay at the Merlus Cormorant factory, has said that 25 workers were exposed to the toxic gas and that seven are still hospitalised.
The Acting ED, said that the Ministry of Labour dispatched a team to investigate the incident which happened on 8 January 2025 at the Merlus Cormorant factory where workers could be seen unconscious and lying on the ground after inhaling the dangerous ammonia gas.
He explained that the incident was caused by a vessel belonging to Atlantic Royal Fishing (Pty) Ltd, which was docked at the jetty near the Melrose Commorant factory and that the leak did not come from the factory itself.
“The name of the vessel is Royalm Crib. The vessel had some defects in terms of the refrigeration systems. What happened is that it was brought to the jetty for maintenance. For them to attend to the defects, they had to drain all the ammonia into the sea. After they drained it, they now opened the valves to do the maintenance, inspect what was wrong, and make a repair. When they opened a valve, there was ammonia that was left over and leaked into the air. At that time, there was a north-west wind which blew directly to the Merlus factory. At that time, employees at the Merlus factory were on a tea break. The ammonia passed through the window at the canteen and it affected 25 employees,” Iigonda said.
He further added that the seven employees hospitalised are in a stable condition and are there for observation.
“To ensure that employees are recovered, they will send back employees for a final check-up to ensure that they are all recovered,” Iigonda said.
The Acting ED said that he is still waiting for the full report for action to be taken in accordance with the law. Iigonda, however, could not, at the time of the interview, confirm if the factory has been closed or if the boat which caused the ammonia leak has been removed from the jetty.
Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in the air causes immediate burning of the eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory tract and can result in blindness, lung damage, or death.
