7 dies in Edo Boat MishapAt least seven individuals are feared to have lost their lives in a tragic boat accident that occurred on the Gelegele River in the Ovia North East Local Government area of Edo State. These individuals were reportedly part of a group of 28 passengers who were traveling from Ofunama.
The accident unfolded when the boat ran out of fuel, and it was subsequently pushed by waves, causing a collision with oil barges owned by a multinational oil exploration company. This unfortunate incident occurred on Ekehuan market day, and the boat had been transporting passengers to various riverine communities along the way before it ran out of fuel.The boat operator anchored the vessel and left to seek fuel. Upon his return, he attempted to restart the boat, but it failed to respond. During this time, strong waves pushed the boat into the oil barges, trapping some passengers underneath.Blessing Perewari, the Vice Chairman of Ovia South West local government area, who visited the scene, confirmed that the incident took place on Thursday.
He reported that some bodies were only discovered floating on the river on Saturday.In total, there were 28 adults, two pregnant women, and three babies on board the boat. The presence of the parked Dubri oil company barges on the waterway contributed to the accident. While 18 passengers were successfully rescued with the help of the Marine Police and the local community, sadly, seven passengers lost their lives. The bodies of the deceased have been placed in the Time Hospital and Stella Obasanjo Hospital.
A member of the community, Comrade Joseph Gbale, who took part in the rescue operation, pointed out that while there may have been some negligence on the part of the boat driver, the double parking of the barges had constricted the waterway, contributing to the tragedy.An officer of the Marine Police reported that they have forwarded a report of the incident to the Edo State Police Command in Benin City.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, was unavailable for comment at the time of contact.