An overloaded passenger boat has capsized in Mgbuodohia community, Rivers State. Umesi Emenike of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said on Tuesday that four bodies had been recovered, 10 people rescued and 30 still missing.
“As at yesterday, officially, the rescue figure had gone up to 10,”
Based on estimates of around 40 or more people on the boat, “we expect that we still have between 25 and 30 persons in the water,” he said.
The wooden boat was traveling between Eagle Island and Mgbuodohia.
Mgbuodohia community, official Chima Amadi told AFP, the boat was the only reliable means of transport to Port Harcourt because of the bad condition of roads in the area. “More than 40 passengers were on the boat,” he said.
“It is quite painful and sad. We have arranged for the community youths to assist in the rescuing of the victims.” In another development, tragedy occurred Monday morning, when a woman working with the Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority (RSESA), slumped and died on duty.
The aged woman whose identity was not known hailed from Bakana, in Degema Local Government Area of the state.
According to an eyewitness, the woman was sweeping the street along Mile 1 Bus Stop, Diobu, Port Harcourt, when she fell down headlong. Efforts to rescue her at a nearby clinic proved abortive as she was referred to state-owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMH), Port Harcourt.
Some of her colleagues, who lamented over her death, said the deceased had previously complained of illness.
They bemoaned hospital authorities that were fond of rejecting patients in critical condition.
