Tragedy struck on Tuesday along the Andoni-Bonny coastal waters in Rivers State as approximately 20 individuals, including children, are feared to have lost their lives in a boat accident involving two passenger boats.
The incident, still surrounded by limited details, primarily affected residents of Ngo town, Ataba, and Isiama communities in the Andoni Local Government area.
Gogo Obolo, the chairman of Obolo Youths Coalition, Bonny LG chapter, confirmed the unfortunate event, emphasising that the passengers, mostly from Ngo town, were en route from Andoni to Bonny Island when the accident occurred.
Expressing concern over the unrecovered victims, Obolo urged local government officials to swiftly retrieve the bodies and provide support to the grieving families.
Obolo stated, “The Andoni people residing in Bonny Local Government Area received shocking news of our brothers and sisters involved in a boat accident while returning from the Christmas celebrations.
“While we pray that the rescue effort yield more success to reduce the pain of the accident, we imploy the Andoni local government chairman, Chief Erastus Awortu, and his counterpart in Bonny LG, Anengi Barasua, to visit the family of the victims in this trying period.”
In the wake of the boat accident confirmation, Andoni LGA Chairman, Awortu, swiftly responded by dispatching a rescue team upon receiving a distress call, resulting in the successful rescue of several individuals.
In a statement obtained on Wednesday, Awortu expressed condolences to the families affected by the tragic incident and pledged to cover the medical expenses for those saved.
While extending sympathies, he cautioned Andoni’s populace against undertaking nighttime journeys on waterways and emphasised the imperative for boat operators to adhere strictly to safety regulations.
The statement read, “We received with rude shock and deep pain a disturbing report that over 20 persons from Andoni are feared dead in a boat accident involving two Andoni/Bonny-bound boats which occurred within the Andoni waterways on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.
“Upon receiving the sad news, we immediately dispatched our team to join the first responders on rescue mission at the scene of the incident in a bid to salvage the situation.
“We are closely monitoring the situation to offer further support, especially to give the survivors necessary medical attention and recover the remains of the dead from the sea.
“Our hearts go out to the families and communities of victims of this unfortunate disaster especially Ngo Town, Ataba, Isiama and other Communities whose loved ones were involved in the boat mishap.
“We share in their pain and trauma, our prayers and thoughts are with them in this moment of grief. We will do whatever we can as a Local Government to reduce the burden of grief of the bereaved families and communities.
“While we bemoan the boat mishap which came at a time when our people were still basking in the mood of a successful festive season in Andoni, we call on operators of water transportation in Andoni to ensure strict compliance of all passengers to safety rules.
“We also warn the operators to desist from embarking on night journeys on sea.”
