No
fewer than 166 passengers were on Tuesday reported dead in a boat mishap about
40 nautical miles off the coast of Calabar.
fewer than 166 passengers were on Tuesday reported dead in a boat mishap about
40 nautical miles off the coast of Calabar.
Eyewitnesses
told newsmen that the passengers were travelling in a “giant-size wooden boat”
from Oron, Akwa Ibom to Gabon on March 15, when the boat capsized “off Malabo
(Equatorial Guinea) waterways”.
told newsmen that the passengers were travelling in a “giant-size wooden boat”
from Oron, Akwa Ibom to Gabon on March 15, when the boat capsized “off Malabo
(Equatorial Guinea) waterways”.
Nigerian
Compass investigation revealed that already 45 corpses of some of the victims
have been deposited at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH)
morgue.
Compass investigation revealed that already 45 corpses of some of the victims
have been deposited at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH)
morgue.
Mr David
Akate, the Assistant Director, Information, Cross River Emergency Management
Agency (SEMA), confirmed the incident but did not give further details.
Akate, the Assistant Director, Information, Cross River Emergency Management
Agency (SEMA), confirmed the incident but did not give further details.
The
eyewitnesses told newsmen that the boat was conveying 168 passengers, adding
that rescue efforts were still going on.
eyewitnesses told newsmen that the boat was conveying 168 passengers, adding
that rescue efforts were still going on.
A Marine
Transporter at the Calabar Inland Waterways, Mr Ikechukwu Egwu, also confirmed
the incident, adding that the passengers of the boat were mostly Igbo traders
who were travelling to Gabon.
Transporter at the Calabar Inland Waterways, Mr Ikechukwu Egwu, also confirmed
the incident, adding that the passengers of the boat were mostly Igbo traders
who were travelling to Gabon.
According to
him, the traders were mostly from the South East states and headed to Oron in
Akwa Ibom to board the wooden boat because it was cheap.
him, the traders were mostly from the South East states and headed to Oron in
Akwa Ibom to board the wooden boat because it was cheap.
“They are
mostly Igbo traders who headed to Oron to board the wooden boat because it was
cheaper,’’ he said.
mostly Igbo traders who headed to Oron to board the wooden boat because it was
cheaper,’’ he said.
Further
findings revealed that the victims’ corpses were being deposited in UCTH
Calabar instead of Malabo, where the mishap occurred, because they were
believed to be Nigerians.
findings revealed that the victims’ corpses were being deposited in UCTH
Calabar instead of Malabo, where the mishap occurred, because they were
believed to be Nigerians.
The
eyewitnesses further told newsmen that other corpses had been deposited in
Oron, Akwa Ibom.
eyewitnesses further told newsmen that other corpses had been deposited in
Oron, Akwa Ibom.
