Footballer drowns rescuing boat accident victims in Bayelsa

A 31-year-old footballer from Bayelsa State, Ernest Peremobowei, has lost his life while trying to rescue victims of a boat mishap in a flood that ravaged Bebelebiri community, in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The body of the deceased, parts of which had been eaten up by fish, was recovered two days after he got drowned.

Peremobowei was said to be returning home in a canoe shortly after taking his wife and three children to a higher ground to escape the raging flood.

The canoe which was conveying him and six other persons from the Federal Medical Centre waterfront capsized because it could not withstand the current of the flood.

Confirming the incident, the coach of Bebelebiri FC which he played for, Kenneth Dreams, said that the footballer died in the process rescuing other occupants of the canoe.

He said, “He took his family to an IDP camp because the flood had taken over his house. So, while returning home, he boarded a canoe with six others when the current of the raging flood capsized the boat.

“We heard that he was able to save four persons who were involved in the boat mishap before drowning at the end.”

The younger brother to the deceased, Earnest Komboye, who also confirmed the incident.

He said, “Due to the high current of the flood, they lost control of the boat when they smashed into the Government Jetty Barge. He was the only one that knew how to swim well and he rescued the five persons with him. I think he was exhausted and was washed away by the current.”

He also said the last person rescued by his late brother was at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, for treatment.

Komboye said the loss of his brother to flood was painful and a huge loss to his wife and two children, who were just between 10 months (girl) and three years (boy).