Boat Mishap: 4 Women Killed In Ebonyi

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News From The State Monday, July 28th, 2014

Ignatius Okpara, Abakaliki

Four women in Afikpo North council Area of Ebonyi state have lost their lives, in a boat mishap which led to their drowning in a river.

Secretary to Oziza Traditional Council of Elders in Afikpo, Chief Okpani Egwu, who confirmed the ugly incident to African Examiner on Sunday, said “it happened at the weekend, I mean on Saturday” warning those who dont know how to swim not go near the river.

Our correspondent learnt that the deceased and 4 other women, who went to a farm across the river in neighbouring Cross River State, were returning back to Afikpo when their boat capsized in Oziza River, following a heavy wind storm.

However, An eyewitness said the 4 other women were rescued by fishermen, who were in the river when the incident happened.

The source who craved anonymity, further hinted that one of the four persons that died was rescued alive but died on the way to hospital.

According to him, only two corpses were recovered, while two other corpses had not been seen as at Sunday evening.

However, another source told African Examiner that two speed boats hired by the community to search for the corpses of the women went as far as Itu in Cross River State but their efforts yielded no positive result.

Also reacting to the incident on Sunday, the Public Relations Officer of Afikpo North council Area, Mr. Emmanuel Irem, described the disaster as tragic, appealing to operators of speed boats in Ebonyi and Cross River states to always avoid over loading and speeding.

Our Correspondent gathered that search for the remaining corpses in the river will continue this Monday morning.