20 Persons Perish as Wooden Boat Explodes, Sinks in Bayelsa 

. Diri mourns, expresses sadness over boat mishap 

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

An explosion of a moving wooden boat in  Bayelsa State community of Ezetu in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state has claimed the lives of 20 persons with several others injured and some still missing.

The explosion happened last Wednesday  when the engine of the wooden boat popularly known as ‘Denghe’ and used as a moving market’ caught fire after the explosion in the middle of the river and sank at Ezetu l community river.

The state Police spokesman, ASP Musa Muhammed, who confirmed the incident to journalists yesterday, said rescue operations are ongoing to recovere the drowned passengers of the ill-fated boat.

He said: “The local boat traveling from Ekeni community in Southern Ijaw to Yenagoa had a mishap and sank, and about 20 persons were reported to have lost their lives, efforts are ongoing to recover their corpse.”

According to the community source, the unfortunate incident occurred around  4:30p.m.  last Wednesday, as a local boat conveying passengers and market women had a fire outbreak on their way back from Ezetu community in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State.

It was learned that the market boat usually goes from community to community in along the coastal areas to do makeshift market before returning to Yenagoa on weekly basis.

The Chairman of Maritime Workers Union in Bayelsa State, Mr. Ipgansi Ogoniba, who also confirmed the boat accident, said the local boat catch fire in the middle of the river while the boat was sailing to Okubie community and burnt some of the passengers onboard.

He said though the number of casualty cannot be ascertained as at the time of filing the report, because search operation is ongoing, the rescue team from the union that went to the scene was able to rescue one corpse late in the evening last Wednesday.

According to him, “The boat left Ezetu 1 community around 3p.m. as they were coming to Okubie, the onboard engine they were using got fire and exploded, so the boat got burnt and sink, some of the people onboard were drowned in the water, there was no network at that point to reach the rescue team from Yenagoa, because that wooden boat always take about 18 hours to reach Yenagoa from that point, while speedboat takes like five hours.”

The Chairperson of Association of Coastal and Waterways Communities of Nigeria in Bayelsa State, Odede Tina, ascribed the larger number of casualty to the inability of the boat operators in the state to stick to safety protocols, especially wearing life jacket while onboard.

She pleaded with the state government to intensify effort in linking more coastal communities by road in order to curb incessant loss of lives in the river, adding that despite several sensitisation the association has carried out on safety protocols, people traveling on waterways still refuse to wear life jackets.

 Meanwhile,  Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has expressed sadness over  the  boat accident. Governor Diri in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, expressed the condolences of the state government to families of victims of the mishap.

He also directed the relevant ministries to immediately join the rescue efforts.

The governor said investigation would be conducted into the cause of the accident and urged boat operators to always observe safety procedures on the state’s waterways.

He said: “The news of another tragic boat accident in our state was shocking and sad. On behalf of the state government, I extend my deepest condolences to families of victims.

“Upon hearing the news of the tragedy, I immediately directed the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and other relevant government organs to dispatch their teams to the river point to join the rescue efforts.

“This is yet one boat accident too many and the state government will take measures to avert such avoidable tragedy going forward. We will investigate the cause(s) of this mishap.

“I again implore boat operators in the state to ensure they observe proper safety procedures at all times in order to make our waterways safer.”