Pastor Loses 4 Children, Grandchild In Rivers Boat Mishap

Rescuers have so far recovered nine, out of the 11 peoples that drowned during last Tuesday‘s boat mishap along the Andoni-Bonny waterways in Andoni local government area of Rivers State.

The owner and driver of the boat, Pastor Festus Iyayi, lost four of his children and a grandchild in the mishap.

Also yesterday, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, yesterday observed a one-minute silence for the victims of the boat mishap.

Sources told LEADERSHIP Friday that the rescue team were making efforts to recover the remaining two corpses, believed to be children.

11 Drown In Rivers Boat Mishap

The wooden fishing boat, with 25 passengers on board, was heading from Ngo Town, headquarters of Andoni LGA, to Amariaria, a fishing settlement Finima community in Bonny local government area of the state, when the accident occurred.

Meanwhile, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, yesterday observed a minute silence in honour of victims of the boat mishap.

Speaking on the unfortunate incident, the speaker, Martin Chike Amaewhule, commiserated with families of victims of the boat mishap and pledged that the House would support the families with a token of N2 million.

Meanwhile, the chairman of Bonny local government council, Dame Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox, has expressed her condolences to the people of Andoni living in Bonny LGA over the unfortunate boat mishap.

Claude-Wilcox disclosed this during a condolence visit to the families of the deceased in Amariaria fishing settlement in Finima community.

The chairman, who was represented by her vice, Wariopusenibo Omoni Longjohn, commended the leadership and people of the Amariari settlement for all their efforts in supporting the families of the victims.

She prayed that such unfortunate incident will never repeat again and that the souls of the departed finds rest with the Lord.