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At least five children and six adults have been feared dead as two wooden boats capsize in Rivers State.

It was gathered that the two boats that were travelling to Bonny Island from Ngo in Andoni Local Government of the state capsized on Tuesday morning leaving a number of persons dead.

It was learned that the victims of the boat mishap were Indigenes of Ngo Town, Ataba, Isiama, and other communities in Andoni.

A source said that over 25 people were in the two boats when the incident happened on Tuesday and that few of them were rescued.

The source said the two fishing boats which were travelling with passengers, were struck by a heavy wave around 2 pm and that the boats were destroyed.

A source close to one of the survivors narrated that after the boat capsized, a rescue team came hours later, and 14 people were rescued.

It said: “The fishing boat which is the only source of livelihood for Mr. Ayayi Promise Festus from Ngo, carried 25 passengers, including his wife, Mrs Rose Promise, 4 of his children, and his little grandchild, had departed Ngo town to Bonny, their settlement, around 2 PM, yesterday, January 2024.

“While travelling, the boat was struck by a heavy wave around the Bonny River which divided and destroyed the big boat.

“As at when this unfortunate incident occurred, there were no rescue team to save the 25 passengers on board. Hours later when rescue team came 11 passengers had drowned while 14 passengers, including Festus and his wife were rescued.”

It noted that among the 11 passengers who drowned, five were children and the little grandchild of Festus, the driver and owner of the boat who’s a fisherman, adding that so far, three bodies have been recovered and eight are still missing and currently being searched for.

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