40 Persons Feared Dead As Boat Capsizes In Port Harcourt

Forty persons are suspected to have died at Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State, when their wooden boat capsized.

The incident occured around 9:30 pm on Tuesday on Mgboudohia water.
. The boat was travelling from Eagle Island.

Ten passengers, including a two-year-old baby, were rescued. 

Divers are still combing the river for bodies of the victims.

Relatives have besieged the Rumuolumeni jetty, the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) and other hospitals in Port Harcourt for information about the passengers.

The Rumuolumeni River passes through the back of the premises of the Italian oil giant, the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to Iwofe, Port Harcourt.

The Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman of Rumuolumeni, Chima Amadi, said: "Because of the bad roads, boats are the means of transportation in the area and have been in existence since time immemorial.

"There were over 40 passengers in the small boat. Rush caused the accident. 

"The system is not properly organised. We have arranged for divers to rescue the victims."

Amadi urged Governor Rotimi Amaechi to build roads in Rumuolumeni for the people to stop depending on boats for transportation, considering the area's economic factor.

The Information Officer of NNS Pathfinder, Lt-Cmmd Bassey Ayi, said a naval team with a gunboat has been sent to the scene of the accident.