Five persons, including women and children on board a yet-to-be-identified boat, have been feared killed as their boat capsized on the River Niger ocean.
According to reports, the event occurred early on Sunday morning when onlookers were spotted pulling the victims from the river close to the banks of Onitsha.
A video of the incident that went viral on social media on Sunday confirmed the report..
Although the actual casualty figure could not be officially ascertained as of the time of filing this report, it was gathered that the passengers were coming from Kogi State.
When contacted, the Anambra State Police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the development, said the situation was under control.
Ikenga said, “The situation is under control. Our marine operatives, on getting the distress call about the incident, responded swiftly.
“We were able to rescue over 30 of the passengers alive and recovered the five lifeless bodies in the depths of the sea and the capsized boat.
“Preliminary information revealed that the boat was from Kogi State, conveying goods and passengers before the unfortunate incident occurred.
“Meanwhile, the cause is yet to be ascertained as the investigation is ongoing, please.”
