Cross River boat crash prompts maritime safety review

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The Provisional Committee for the Establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard has called for an urgent review of maritime safety measures following a deadly boat collision in Ikang, Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

The collision, involving two speedboats, reportedly killed eight people, while five survivors were rescued by local fishermen in Cameroon, according to reports cited by Arise News.

The committee’s Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Dr Piriye Kiyaramo, made the call in a statement issued on Saturday on behalf of its Chief Executive and Accounting Officer, Capt. Noah Ichaba.

The PC-NCG expressed condolences to the victims’ families and commended the Cross River State Police Command for its rescue efforts.

It said the incident highlighted the need to strengthen safety systems for passenger boats operating in coastal communities.

The committee called for a comprehensive review of vessel registration, seaworthiness inspections, operator certification, safety procedures, communication systems and coordination among relevant agencies.

It also renewed its call for the passage of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill, which it said had reached the third-reading stage in the Senate.

The committee, however, said it was not attributing the collision to the absence of a Coast Guard or pre-empting the outcome of any investigation.

“We do not attribute this collision to the absence of a Coast Guard, nor do we prejudge findings,” the statement said.

It added that repeated maritime tragedies warranted a serious assessment of whether existing arrangements were adequately protecting coastal communities.

The committee called for a transparent investigation into the cause of the collision, compliance with maritime safety standards and the effectiveness of emergency response mechanisms.

It urged the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the Nigerian Navy, the Marine Police and the Cross River State Government to work together on the investigation.

It also called for greater engagement with affected families, improved search-and-rescue capacity and stronger cross-border cooperation.

The committee said preventive measures were needed to protect lives and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s maritime transport system.

“There can be no meaningful Blue Economy without Blue Security and Blue Justice. Regulation must not exist only on paper,” it said.

The PC-NCG urged authorities to ensure that the latest tragedy resulted in concrete safety measures rather than fading from public attention without meaningful action.