No fewer than three passengers have drowned following the capsizing of their boat which was travelling from Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital to Bonny Island.
The incident which occurred at about 5pm on Sunday around an area known as ‘Yellow Platform’ – not far from Bonny – is believed to have been as a result of a sudden storm.
The unfortunate boat had put out to sea from the Bonny/Nembe/Bille Waterfront Jetty in Port Harcourt with 22 passengers. While 19 of them were rescued, two male adults and a young girl lost their lives.
The spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirming the incident to journalists on Tuesday.
She described the situation as sad, saying 19 passengers were rescued.
“It is very sad, but 19 passengers were rescued alive. The boat capsized at Yellow Platform in Bonny while en route from Port Harcourt. Investigations are ongoing,” she said.
Also corroborating the account, the Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Rivers Commercial District, Israel Pepple said it was caused by a windstorm.
