In a heartbreaking incident in Gelegele, Ovia South West Local Government of Edo State, a commercial boat collided with stationary barges, leading to one fatality and injuries to four others. However, some local residents have reported a higher casualty figure, stating that as many as seven people lost their lives in the accident.
The boat was primarily carrying women and children when it ran out of fuel after a passenger disembarked in one of the riverside communities. The boat then drifted off its course and collided with the stationary barges.
The Edo State Police Command confirmed the accident, and according to SP Chidi Nwabuzor, the Police Public Relations Officer, one person lost their life, and four sustained injuries. The rest of the passengers were successfully rescued.
Blessing Perewari, Vice Chairman of the local government, expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and reported that the deceased had been taken to the mortuary. He provided more details of the accident, explaining that the boat had 28 adults, two pregnant women, and three babies on board. After dropping off two passengers, the boat’s engine failed to restart. Due to the strong river current, the boat was pushed into the barges, trapping some passengers. With the combined efforts of the Marine Police and community members, 18 passengers were rescued, but tragically, seven lost their lives.
Perewari held the oil company accountable for not providing ambulances to transport the deceased. In response, a company representative explained that the barges and tug boat were anchored at their jetty as usual, and the incident occurred on Ekheuan market day. The company maintained that the police and the army were involved in the rescue operations and witnessed the events, and the community chairman, who was present at the time, was among the first to mobilize divers for the rescue efforts.