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From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri
At least five persons have been confirmed dead in a boat mishap along Bennett Island River in Warri South-west local government area of Delta State.
Six other persons who were reportedly injured from the boat collision, are currently battling for their lives at an undisclosed hospital.
This is coming barely few days after an earlier boat mishap involving a boat engaged by the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor and another owned by a billionaire businessman and Chairman of Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited, Mr. Matthew Tonlagha.
It was learnt that the Speaker was returning from his village after an outing on Friday November 22, 2024 when his boat and another had a collision resulting to the death of about six persons and several others injured.
Guwor narrowly escaped death in the mishap, according to sources but the other smaller boat was shattered and several persons were said to have died and others hospitalized.
A source said that one of the victims of the Speaker’s boat mishap would be buried today, at one of the Gbaramatu communities.
It was not clear if the incident involving the Speaker was same as the one which reportedly occurred on Monday but some reports said the incident happened when the speedboat carrying the passengers who were returning from a burial collided with a submerged log, causing it to capsize.
“The collision threw many passengers overboard into the water, many of whom were unable to swim and were not on life jackets.
“Many of the passengers in the ferry drowned almost immediately upon being tossed into the river”, local sources disclosed.
But against claims that over 30 lives were lost during the incident, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO)SP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the incident in a statement yesterday ,said that five persons died.
He said that six,”Five found dead, six persons injured and still receiving treatment, 19 persons rescued, one is still missing”, Edafe said.
