Three dead, several missing as boat capsizes in Bayelsa

Three persons have been confirmed dead and several others declared missing after a boat conveying goods and passengers capsized in Bayelsa State.

According to reports, the boat, which usually conveys about a hundred passengers, who are mainly traders, capsized on the Yenagoa-Brass waterways near Okoroma in Nembe Local Government Area.

A source, who was part of the rescue operation, identified the recovered corpses as those of Mrs Biodoumoye Romeo and Ms Ayebatorudigiyo Amakiri, while the third victim, a boat worker, was unidentified.

The tragedy has thrown the Nembe and Brass communities into grief even as search efforts are still ongoing.

Confirming the incident, Bayelsa State Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Ogoniba Ipigansi, said goods worth millions of naira were lost in the mishap.

According to him, also, three persons have been confirmed dead.

He said: “The boat, MV Tari, capsized and we have been battling to rescue goods and the passengers. Some of the items have been recovered. We used speed boats, barges and open boats to salvage the goods, but we couldn’t rescue all.”

Last year, a similar boat, MV Believer, sank near Okoroma.