About twenty people were burned to death on Wednesday evening when the engine of a wooden market boat, popularly known as the ‘Denghe market boat,’ exploded in the middle of the river and sank at Ezetu 1 community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The Police Spokesman in Bayelsa State, ASP Musa Muhammed, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Thursday, stating that rescue operations are ongoing to recover the bodies of the drowned passengers from the ill-fated boat.
He said: “The local boat, traveling from Ekeni community in Southern Ijaw to Yenagoa, had a mishap and sank. About 20 people are reported to have lost their lives, and efforts are ongoing to recover their bodies.”
According to a community source, the unfortunate incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday when a local boat carrying passengers and market women experienced a fire outbreak on their way back from Ezetu Community, heading to the popular Swali Market in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
It was learned that the market boat usually travels from community to community along the coastal areas, operating as a makeshift market before returning to Yenagoa on a weekly basis.
The Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union in Bayelsa State, Mr. Ipigansi Ogoniba, who also confirmed the boat accident, said the local boat caught fire in the middle of the river while sailing to Okubie community, burning some of the passengers onboard.
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He said that the exact number of casualties could not be confirmed at the time of filing this report because the search operation is still ongoing. However, the rescue team from the union that went to the scene was able to recover one body late Wednesday evening.
He said: “The boat left Ezetu 1 community around 3 p.m. and was en route to Okubie when the engine they were using caught fire and exploded, causing the boat to burn and sink. Some of the people onboard drowned in the water. There was no network at that location to reach the rescue team from Yenagoa, and since that wooden boat usually takes about 18 hours to reach Yenagoa from that point, while a speedboat takes around 5 hours.”
The Chairperson of the Association of Coastal and Waterways Communities of Nigeria in Bayelsa State, Comrade Odede Dinikpete Tina, attributed the high number of casualties to the failure of boat operators in the state to adhere to safety protocols, particularly the wearing of life jackets while onboard.
She urged the state government to intensify efforts to connect more coastal communities by road to curb the incessant loss of lives on the river. She added that despite several safety awareness campaigns carried out by the association, many people traveling on waterways still refuse to wear life jackets.
