In a heart-wrenching incident, 12 people have lost their lives after a passenger boat capsized in the Bonny River in Rivers State on Friday afternoon. The boat, traveling from Port Harcourt to Bonny Island, overturned following heavy rainfall and turbulent water conditions.
Eyewitnesses report that the boat, which had 20 passengers on board, encountered rough tides just before it capsized. Local fishermen and marine authorities quickly responded to the scene, managing to rescue 8 survivors, while tragically, 12 people were confirmed dead.
Officials from the Rivers State Emergency Response Agency (RSERA) cited overcrowding and failure to adhere to safety guidelines as potential causes for the disaster. It was revealed that several passengers had not been equipped with life jackets, which might have contributed to the high fatality rate.
“We’ve repeatedly warned boat operators about the importance of safety measures, yet many continue to neglect these precautions,” said an official from the Rivers State Waterways Authority (RSWA).
The community has been left in mourning, with families of the victims devastated by the sudden loss of their loved ones. “It’s heartbreaking. My sister was just going to visit family, and now she’s gone forever,” a distraught relative expressed.
The Rivers State government has ordered a full investigation into the incident and pledged to implement stricter safety regulations for boat operators to prevent future tragedies on the waterways.
