A wooden boat laden with cargo and over 64 passengers and crew, has exploded, killing 20 persons in Bayelsa waterways, News About Nigeria reports.
The Spokesperson of the Bayelsa State Police Command, ASP Musa Mohammed, disclosed this in a statement, stating that the boat burst into flames.
He noted that the incident occured along the Ezetu 1 community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on Wednesday.
He stated that the cargo boat was identified as ‘Godbless Dickson’, and was filled with farm produce from the rural settlement was.
He said the boat was en route Swali market in Yenagoa.
ASP Musa added that rescue efforts by the Marine Police unit are still ongoing.
Speaking also, the Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Bayelsa Chapter, Mr Ogoniba Ipigansi, confirmed the incident, stating that a rescue team of the union, consisting of two speedboats, had been dispatched to the scene to assist the passengers on board.
He noted that the exact number of casualties is yet to be ascertained, as the rescue was still underway and several people on board are yet to be accounted for.
A speedboat operator, Mr Augustine Amayoro, who participated in rescue efforts, also disclosed that he rescued 10 persons from the scene, leaving other passengers stranded in the nearby fishing camp.
It was gathered that the wooden cargo boats were exempted from the state government’s ban on night navigation on waterways.
According to reports, the cargo boats set sail a day ahead of the targeted weekly market days of Thursdays, due to the slow pace of navigation.
