A boat with more than 60 passengers exploded and sank in Bayelsa, with 20 feared dead and scores missing.
On Wednesday, a tragic event unfolded in Ezetu 1 community located within Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa State. A wooden cargo boat that went by the name “Godbless Dickson” caught fire and exploded abruptly, claiming the lives of no less than twenty individuals.
A cargo of farm produce was being transported, along with 64 passengers and crew members aboard the boat.
ASP Musa Mohammed, the Police Spokesman in Bayelsa, confirmed on Thursday that 20 people had tragically died as reported by The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Despite ongoing rescue efforts led by the Marine Police unit and other responders, numerous passengers remain unaccounted for.
The boat that met a tragic end was on its way to the Swali market in Yenagoa, which is regularly visited for agricultural produce from rural settlements. While what exactly caused the explosion is unknown, it has shaken up the area with surprise and dismay.
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During a phone interview, Mr. Ogoniba Ipigansi confirmed the occurrence and he is the Chairman of Bayelsa Chapter for Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria. He specified that a rescue crew from the union was sent to help stranded passengers using two speedboats at the location.
The exact count of casualties cannot be determined despite the continuous rescue operations. There are still several passengers whose whereabouts remain unknown, and it is possible that some may have been left stranded at a fishing camp nearby. Mr. Augustine Amayoro, who assisted in the rescue efforts by operating a speedboat, disclosed saving 10 individuals from the crash site; however, many others are yet to be found.
The wooden cargo vessel named “Godbless Dickson” was found to be excluded from the state government’s prohibition on nighttime boating in waterways. This exemption is based on their lower speed which requires an early departure so as to arrive at markets promptly. The boat had departed in readiness for a bustling market day at Swali waterside, Yenagoa where agricultural products are commonly traded every Thursday.
Expressing profound sadness, Chief Target Segibo – Chairman of Southern Ijaw LGA – deemed the loss of life a regrettable occurrence. He stressed that collaborative efforts from concerned parties were imperative to improve safety regulations in the marine transportation sector and prevent any such calamity in the future.
While the cause of the explosion is being investigated, rescue operations persist in hopes of discovering additional survivors as the community laments their loss.
