Bodies of Edo boat accident victims found floating two days after

Bodies of Edo boat accident victims found floating two days after 

Seven persons have been reported dead in a boat accident on the Gelegele River in the Ovia North East Local Government of Edo State.

Bodies of the victims were said to have been found floating on the river two days after the accident.

They were said to be among 28 passengers travelling in the boat from Ofunama.

The accident occurred after the boat ran out of fuel and was affected by waves, making it to hit oil barges belonging to a multi-national company.

Being on Ekehuan Market day, it was gathered that the boat was dropping passages along the riverine communities when it ran out of fuel.

The operator was said to have anchored the boat and went to source for fuel and on his return, he loosened the boat from the anchorage but the boat did not start.

It was gathered that while trying to start the boat, high waves pushed the boat into the barges.“

Vice Chairman of Ovia South West local government area where many of the victims hailed from, Blessing Perewari, who visited the scene of the incident told journalists on Monday that the incident happened last Thursday.

According to him, some bodies were only recovered on Saturday while floating on the river.

He said, “From what I heard I was also at the scene where the boat capsized. About 28 adults, two pregnant women and three babies were involved. When they got to the Gelegele waterside there was this Dubri oil company barge that was parked in parallel.

“The way the barges were parked caused obstruction on the waterway. So, this particular boat carrying 28 persons after dropping two passengers tried to restart the boat but the engine failed to respond.

“And because of the high current of the river it now pushed the boat into the Dubri oil barges and it torpedoed under the barges making it difficult for the victims to come out. Some of them that know how to swim managed to escape while others were trapped under the barges.

“With the help of the Marine Police and other community inhabitants, we were able to rescue 18 of the passengers and seven died. The remains of the dead have been deposited at Time Hospital and Stella Obasanjo Hospital.”

But Edo State Police Command on Monday said only one person died while four others were injured in the commercial boat accident.

Bodies of Edo boat accident victims found floating two days after