Boat mishap
Tragedy! 76 still missing, nine rescued in Anambra boat mishap
The fate of 76 persons on board a boat in Anambra State is unknown as they are still while nine others were rescued at the weekend.
The boat capsized at Umunankwo in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The boat was said to have taken off from Onukwu Bridge and was heading to Nkwo market, Ogbakuba before it capsized.
Transition committee chairman of Ogbaru, Pascal Aniegbuna confirmed, “while some of the passengers were rescued, several others, unfortunately lost their lives.”
An official of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, said: “The engine boat that loaded about 85 passengers at Onukwu bridge Ossomala enroute to Nkwo Ogbakuba market capsized this morning. Only 9 passengers were rescued, the rest are yet to be seen.
A former House of Representatives member from the area, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, expressed shock and deep sorrow over the development which he said claimed the lives of several people.
He said, “This sad news of this terrible accident is numbing and painful to me as a person and must be very devastating, especially to the immediate families of the victims. This is a collective loss for Ogbaru as a whole and we are united in sorrow.
“My condolences go to the affected families and also Ogbaru people and communities, who have in recent times found themselves in the jaws of severe flood disaster that has practically submerged all our communities and displaced thousands of people.”