AT least five dead bodies have been recovered while six people remain missing after Saturday’s boat mishap at the Buruku crossing point of River Benue in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.
News Point Nigeria reports that the ill-fated wooden boat was conveying passengers returning from a burial ceremony across the River Benue when it capsized at about 11am on Saturday.
Witnesses said more than 120 passengers were, however, rescued following the incident, while 11 others initially went missing.
But as of Sunday afternoon, five bodies had been recovered, as the search for the remaining six continued.
The Public Relations Officer of the Tombo Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (TMWUN), Saai Oryina, told our correspondent in a telephone interview on Sunday that the five bodies already recovered were people from the Mbayion area of Gboko Local Government Area of the state.
He said rescuers initially believed that seven people were missing but later established that the number had risen to 11, adding that efforts were ongoing to locate the remaining victims.
“We have recovered five dead bodies. We earlier thought that seven people were missing but later found out they were altogether 11. As we speak, efforts are still being made to find the remaining missing persons,” he said.
Oryina attributed some of the challenges associated with water transportation in the state to passengers’ refusal to wear life jackets despite the risks associated with boat travel.
He said although the union had no major challenge with the availability of boats, passengers’ failure to use life jackets could reduce their chances of survival in the event of a boat accident.
Also, a relative of four victims, Nathaniel Apaa, appealed to Nigerians to pray for his family over the incident.
Apaa, in a post on his Facebook page, said two women among the four members of his family involved in the accident had been recovered, while his two younger brothers remained missing.
“Four of my family members were involved in the boat accident but two women have been recovered while the other two young men are still missing.
“I’m very sad. I’m not even in Benue at the moment to witness this myself, but reports reaching me said 11 people are still missing and my two younger ones are among them. We need prayers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said its officials had arrived at the scene to commence fact-finding and support the search operation.
The agency’s Information Officer, Terna Ager, told our correspondent by telephone that the team was waiting for a boat to convey them to the point where the incident occurred.
“We are waiting for a boat to sail to the point of incident for fact-finding. So far, we gathered from people we have interviewed that 11 people are missing,” he said.
Ager also expressed concern over the rising water level at the scene, describing it as worrisome.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Government has suspended the Buruku crossing-point branch of the Nigeria Union of Maritime Workers (NUMW) following the mishap.
The State Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Dennis Ter Iyaghigba, ordered the immediate suspension during an on-the-spot assessment of the scene.
He also ordered the suspension of the line operator and the arrest and detention of the boat skipper involved in the incident.
The ministry had earlier activated its search and rescue operation and begun working with local divers to intensify efforts to locate the missing passengers.
Iyaghigba further directed strict compliance with the mandatory use of life jackets at all river crossing points across the state.
He also issued a seven-day ultimatum to the owner of an abandoned barge believed to have contributed to the accident to remove it from the crossing point or risk its confiscation by the state government.