The Police Command in Rivers State has confirmed the death of 11 passengers from a boat mishap on the Andoni-Bonny coastal waters in Rivers on Tuesday.
Eyewitness account stated that the accident occurred when two passenger boats collided along the route.
Spokesperson of the command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the accident in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
She said that 11 passengers from the commercial boat died in the accident, debunking speculations that 20 people died.
“The accident occurred on January 9, about 9:15 a.m. when a local wooden boat powered by a single 25HP Yamaha engine carrying passengers sank.
“The boat carried the passengers from Ukwa community in Ngo town in Andoni Local Government Area en route to Bonny Island when it sank while approaching Amariaria community in Finima town.
“Acting on the strength of the information we received, the officer in charge of Marine, SP Ogarachi Chima, moved to the scene of the incident and discovered 11 passengers feared drowned,” she said.
Iringe-Koko said that the police had launched full investigation to ascertain the cause of the mishap.
Earlier, Chairman of Andoni Local Government Council, said in a statement that 20 persons drowned in the accident.
According to him, the accident involved two Andoni/Bonny-bound boats that sank in the middle of the turbulent Andoni Sea.
He said: “We received, with rude shock and deep pain, a disturbing report that over 20 persons from Andoni are feared dead in mishap involving two boats.
“Upon receiving the sad development, we immediately dispatched our team to join the first responders on rescue mission at the scene of the incident.
“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,” Awortu stated.
