A minimum of six persons, including a corp member and a pregnant woman, have been confirmed dead during a boat mishap in Bayelsa State.
The sad incident occurred on Saturday in Ayama community, Southern Ijaw local government council of the the State.
Daily Report Nigeria gathered that a 70-year-old man identified as Chief Lucky Daniels, and two children also died from the incident.
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Sources revealed that the boat with a 15-passenger capacity, rammed into a barrier while trying to berth in Ayama community.
The number of casualties have also been attributed to the afternoon rain storm, which forced the passengers to cover themselves with Tarpaulin.
Confirming the incident, Chairman of the Maritime Union in Otuan Community, Joseph Shedrack said the boat driver, who fortunate survived the accident, has been arrested for reckless driving.
The State Chairman of the Maritime Union, Ipigansi Ogoniba, also confirmed six persons missing and dead from the incident.
”Six persons died. When the boat got to Ayama, it had a mishap. One corpse was recovered and handed to the family for proper burial. While three adults and three children were still missing or probably dead,” he said.
On the identity of the corps member involved in the boat disaster, Comrade Ogoniba said the authorities of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have been contacted through the Community Liaison Officer (CLO),” they are still searching for her corpse and we have reached out to the NYSC for her identity.”
The Bayelsa State Police Command spokesman, Asinim Buatswat, also confirmed the incident. He however, noted he was yet to be properly briefed on the cause of the incident and number of casualties.
