No fewer than 11 persons, including five children, have been drowned when a fishing boat they were travelling in capsized along the Andoni-Bonny waterways in Andoni local government area of Rivers State on Tuesday.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the incident occurred when the boat, which was carrying 25 passengers, was hit by a heavy wave, forcing it to break into two parts.
A source told our Correspondent that there was no rescue team as at the time of the accident, to assist the passengers swim to safety, adding that by the time rescue came, 11 passengers had already drowned while 14 others were rescued.
He stated that already, three corpses had been recovered while efforts were on to recover the remaining eight corpses.
Confirming the ugly development, the chairman of Andoni local government area council, Hon. Erastus Awortu, said most of the victims of the boat mishap were from Ngo Town, Ataba, Isiama and other communities in the LGA.
Awortu, in a statement made available to journalists in Port Harcourt, said the situation was being monitored to offer further support especially to give the survivors necessary medical attention and recover the remains of the dead from the sea.
He promised to do whatever it takes within his powers to reduce the burden of grief of the bereaved families and the affected communities.