About 20 individuals, including children, are feared dead in a boat accident in Andoni waterways in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. The heartbreaking incident occurred in the late hours of Tuesday and was said to have involved two passenger boats on their way to Bonny, a nearby coastal council district. This was revealed in a statement issued early Wednesday by the Executive Chairman of Andoni LGA, Erastus Awortu, who expressed his shock at the incident. Awortu expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and communities, lamenting that the sad tragedy occurred after successful festive events, including unification carnivals in the council region.
He described the council’s attempts to save those who were still alive, provide first aid to the injured, and recover the bodies of the deceased from the river; vowing to mitigate the pains of the deceased families and communities in their trying moments.
More so, the council chairman emphasized the need for boat operators to adhere to all passenger safety procedures and recommended against nighttime sea travel.
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 a 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.”