Three Dead After Boat Capsizes in Rivers State

A boat capsizing incident in Rivers State has left two adults and a toddler dead, with 19 other passengers rescued after the tragic mishap.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening when the passenger boat, en route from Port Harcourt to Bonny Island in Bonny Local Government Area (LGA), was struck by a sudden ocean storm, causing high waves that led to the capsizing.

According to the Rivers State Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, 22 passengers were aboard the ill-fated boat when it capsized near the Yellow Platform, close to Bonny. Despite the efforts of rescue teams, three people, including a young girl, lost their lives.

Iringe-Koko described the incident as a tragic event, stating that 19 passengers were successfully rescued from the water.

In a statement issued by the Bonny Local Government Council, Chairman Mr. Anengi Claude-Wilcox confirmed the incident and said that preliminary investigations by the council indicated that the boat’s captain lost control after a sudden and severe rise in the oceanic storm.

The incident has left the communities in Bonny and surrounding areas mourning the loss of the victims, while urging for more precautionary measures for travelers in the often unpredictable ocean conditions.