Twenty-four victims of the Tuesday boat mishap in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, were yesterday given a mass burial near the river where they drowned, writes BISI OLANIYI
BARELY 48 hours after they died in Tuesday night boat mishap in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, 27 of the passengers aboard the ill-fated boat have been buried in a mass grave near the Rumuolumeni River, the scene of the accident.
They included three expectant mothers and 23 others, among them infants.
Their funeral was carried out in accordance with the community’s tradition, which stipulates that the remains of any person drowned in the river should be buried on the bank.
Fourteen persons, including a two-year-old baby, were rescued.
The Rumuolumeni monarch, Ndubueze Wobo, who spoke after the interment, called on Governor Rotimi Amaechi to build the only road linking the community to other parts of the state. According to him, this will provide residents alternatives. The monarch attributed the death of the passengers to the poor state of the road, which he said, forced the people to board the ill-fated boat. The monarch regretted the poor condition of the road, despite the presence of multinational companies in the area.
Police spokesman Ben Ugwuegbulam, who confirmed the casualty figure yesterday in Port Harcourt, noted that the search and rescue efforts were still on-going.
Ugwuegbulam said: “As at 1145hrs today (yesterday), 26 bodies, including that of a six-year-old girl were found and recovered by the search and rescue team.”
At an interactive session with reporters in his palace, Wobo further stated that the solution to the tragic loss of lives of innocent people through boat mishap would be to link the community with the Port Harcourt City centre.
The small wooden boat, with over 40 passengers on board, capsized at 9:30 pm on Tuesday at Chiogbonna Waterfront in Mgbuodohia-Rumoulumeni, Port Harcourt in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Divers were immediately deployed in the area to rescue the victims and recover the bodies. They combed the river from Tuesday night through Wednesday evening.
One of the persons involved in the rescue efforts, who pleaded not to be named, said: “We recovered 26 bodies, all dead, including three expectant mothers and many children. Their bodies have been given a mass burial. Fourteen persons were rescued alive.
“The casualty figure was very high because that is the only route from the community to link Port Harcourt City, because of the bad road. It is very sad and really unfortunate, considering the economic activities going on in the area and the contributions to Nigeria’s economy.”
The fate of a female Youth corps member, Mrs. Neebari Samuel-Bema, who was in the boat, hung in the balance, as she was still missing, almost 48 hours after the incident.
Her husband, Kpegele Samuel-Bema, at the Chiogbonna Waterfront , told The Nation that he got married to Neebari three months ago.
One of the survivors, Samuel Amaechi, 27, said God was merciful to have kept him alive because he could not swim.
The Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the Southsouth, Umesi Emenike, also described the boat mishap as quite pathetic, stressing that efforts were made to rescue all the passengers.
The passenger boat was travelling from Eagle Island in the Garden City, near the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt.
The Rumuolumeni River is behind the expansive premises of the Italian oil giant – Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to Iwofe, Port Harcourt.
Rumuolumeni is also home to the Ignatius Ajuru (formerly Rivers State) University of Education (IAUOE) and a naval base, the NNS (Nigerian Naval Ship) Pathfinder, as well as multinational companies and industries, among other establishments.
Some of the injured passengers were treated at the government-owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), Port Harcourt and other hospitals in the capital city.
Speaking earlier, the Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman of Rumuolumeni, Mr. Chima Amadi, had stated: “In view of the bad roads, boats are the only means of transportation in the area and have been in existence for a very long time.
“There were over 40 passengers in the small boat. Rush caused the accident. The system is not properly organised. We arranged divers to rescue the victims.”
Amadi also pleaded with the governor to come to the aid of Rumuolumeni community, having massively supported and voted for him and other candidates of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2011 general elections.
The CDC chair urged Amaechi to intervene so the people would stop depending on boats for transportation.
The Information Officer of NNS Pathfinder, Lieutenant Commander Bassey Ayi, said a naval team, with divers, was immediately dispatched with a gunboat, to the scene of the accident. He described the incident as unfortunate.
Governor Rotimi Amaechi yesterday promised to investigate the mishap. The governor spoke at the palace of the Nyenweli of Rumuolumeni, HRH Eze Olumeni after inspecting teh scene. He was represented by his Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, David Iyofor, said the state government would construct the Rumuolumeni road. He said remedial work has been doen on it and advised the people to use it.
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Boat mishap: Mass burial for three expectant mothers, 23 others