- Twenty people are also said to be missing after the mishap which happened following a head-on collision of two boats alongside the waterways.
At least fiver people have lost their lives in fatal boats accident in in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Twenty people are also said to be missing after the mishap which happened following a head-on collision of two boats alongside the waterways.
The tragic incident which occurred on Monday evening involved speedboats carrying passengers returning from a burial ceremony.
One of the locals who spoke to newsmen in confidence attributed the boat collision to poor visibility.
He said, “The incident is an unfortunate one. It involved two speedboats carrying passengers who attended a burial ceremony. Poor visibility on the waterways caused the head-on collision.”
Most of the passengers were not wearing life jackets when the collision occurred, Punch reports.
The Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the boat accident.
He stated that “six survivors who were rescued with injuries are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Warri.”
“This is a tragic accident, and we are working with marine units and local divers to locate the missing passengers,” the PPRO stated.
Also commenting on the incident, a resident who gave his name as Emmanuel Okoro, described the scene as “chaotic.”
According to him, “people were screaming for help.
“Some managed to swim ashore, but many others disappeared beneath the water”, he added.
Meanwhile, rescue operations have begun as authorities and local volunteers searched for the missing victims.
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