At least five bodies have been recovered following a boat accident along the Robertkiri waterways in Kula, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State. Rescue operations remain ongoing as authorities continue the search for other victims of the Tuesday mishap.
The recovery followed renewed search and rescue efforts by a local security outfit, chiefs and other stakeholders in the area from Wednesday into Thursday.
Recall that about 10 persons were feared dead when a tugboat and a speedboat carrying over 15 persons from the community collided on Tuesday evening.
The bodies were recovered on Thursday afternoon amid fresh rescue efforts.
A community leader and pioneer spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, confirmed the recovery of the corpses to our reporter on Thursday evening.
Sara-Igbe, in a short message, said the victims’ remains would be taken to the Rivers State Government House along Azikiwe Road, Port Harcourt, for the governor to know what had happened.
He also said the bodies would thereafter be moved to the State Police Headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, to register the grievances of the Kula people.
“Five of the recovered corpses from the Robertkiri OML 25 incident will be taken to Rivers State Government House between 3.45 pm and 5 pm today and thereafter to the headquarters of Rivers State Police Command, Port Harcourt,” Sara-Igbe stated.
In a video seen by our reporter, a woman wept profusely at the Rivers State Government House, saying she had lost two of her uncles.
“I was with two of them just this past Saturday. Now they are no more. See what oil is causing for us,” she sobbed uncontrollably.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the state police command, Blessing Agabe, for an update proved abortive, as she did not answer several calls put across to her by our reporter.
She had yet to reply to a message sent to her mobile phone as of the time of filing this report on Thursday evening.
Sources said rescue efforts were still ongoing to recover the remaining bodies.
