76 feared killed, 9 rescued as boat capsizes in Anambra

At least 76 people were feared dead when an engine boat carrying 85 persons capsized at Umunankwo in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was learnt that 76 of the passengers were still missing from the engine boat that took off from Onukwu Bridge and was heading to Nkwo Market, Ogbakuba before it capsized.

Transition committee chairman of Ogbaru, Pascal Aniegbuna said, “while some of the passengers were rescued, several others, unfortunately, lost their lives.”

An official of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, said: “The engine boat that loaded about 85 passengers at Onukwu bridge Ossomala en route to Nkwo Ogbakuba market capsized this morning. Only 9 passengers were rescued, the rest are yet to be seen.

A former House of Representatives member from the area, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, expressed shock and deep sorrow over the accident which he said claimed the lives of many people.

“This sad news of this terrible accident is numbing and painful to me as a person and must be very devastating, especially to the immediate families of the victims. This is a collective loss for Ogbaru as a whole and we are united in sorrow.

“My condolences go to the affected families and also Ogbaru people and communities, who have in recent times found themselves in the jaws of severe flood disaster that has practically submerged all our communities and displaced thousands of people,” he said.