Three dead, several missing in Bayelsa boat mishap

Incessant boat mishaps: Stakeholders apportion blames, proffer solutions

A local boat carrying goods and passengers sank in Bayelsa State, leaving three people confirmed dead and a number of others reported missing.

According to PulseNets, the boat, which often carries a hundred passengers, mostly traders, along the Yenagoa-Brass waterways near Okoroma in the Nembe Local Government Area, capsized.

The bodies that were retrieved were those of Mrs. Biodoumoye Romeo and Ms. Ayebatorudigiyo Amakiri, according to a source who was involved in the rescue effort; the third victim, a boat worker, remained unidentified.

Moreover, PulseNets discovered that the incident happened on Thursday around 1:30 PM. Even as searches continue, the tragedy has devastated the Nembe and Brass communities.

Ogoniba Ipigansi, the Bayelsa State Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, confirmed the occurrence and said that millions of naira’s worth of cargo were lost in the accident.

He also claims that three deaths have been confirmed.

He said: “The boat, MV Tari, capsized and we have been battling to rescue goods and the passengers. Some of the items have been recovered. We used speed boats, barges and open boats to salvage the goods, but we couldn’t rescue all.”

Last year, a similar boat, MV Believer, sank near Okoroma.

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