A boat mishap in the Calabar Channel on Saturday claimed the lives of three medical students.
The students, fourteen in number, were en route Oron Beach in Akwa Ibom State from Calabar in Cross River state when the accident happened at sea.
The fourteen medical students were in Calabar for their annual medical week and went to the popular Marina Resort to have fun on their social day before departing for Oron beach.
However, no sooner had they boarded the speed boat for Akwa Ibom at the Marina Resort jetty than a strong current rattled and tossed their boat, a local who witnessed the incident said.
An eyewitness said, “The boat capsized due to high waves on the Calabar Channel and the 14 passengers, including the driver, drowned.
“But the fortunate thing is that the Nigerian Navy patrol teams were nearby. So their divers were able to save 11.”
A source from the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, who pleaded not to be named, confirmed the incident.
He added that their men are still in the water, trying to see the possibility of rescuing the remaining three.
He asked for prayers, as hope of finding them was dimming by the minute.
An official of the Nigeria Medical Association, Cross River State chapter, who also spoke in confidence in an interview, confirmed that the three might have died.
“The 2023 Nigeria Medical Association Health Week and the Medical School in Calabar are hosting this year’s health week.
“Students across Medical schools in Nigeria came to Calabar just to have their annual health week.
“So in the course of doing their social activities, the plan was for them to go to Marina Resort and visit the Slave History Museum.
“Few of the students decided to go on a boat cruise and it happened that when they were coming from the boat cruise to move to Tinapa for their normal social ride, the boat capsized.
“There were 14 occupants, including the driver of the boat, eleven of them came out safely, while three of them are still missing.
“Two are from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and one from the University of Uyo.
“The navy has been trying to see how they can retrieve their bodies because they cannot find them.
“They are saying we should come tomorrow and get their floating bodies; that is what is on ground for now.”
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