No fewer than five persons on Saturday, killed after a speed boat capsized in Calabar, Cross River state.
The accident, which occured on Saturday when the boat en route to Oron in Akwa Ibom state, said to have carried 20 persons at Marina Resort in Calabar.
According NAN, a senior naval officer said the eastern naval command played a major role in rescuing some of the victims.
The source reportedly said 14 of them were rescued.
He said, “The navy partook in the rescue mission; we at least rescued 14 of them.”
“I can’t give you the exact position of the boat because we only rushed for the rescue mission, but I’m sure the command will soon release a statement to this effect.”
Meanwhile, the chief press secretary to the state governor, Emmanuel Ogbeche, while confirming the incident, said that three medical students aboard the boat were yet to be found.
He said Bassey Otu, the state governor, has ordered an investigation into the mishap.
The medical students were said to have travelled to Calabar for the Nigeria Medical Students Games.
“The news of a cruise boat mishap at the Marina Resort, a tourist and relaxation destination in Calabar, is saddening and calls for concern not only as your governor but as a parent,” the statement reads.
“To imagine that the boat was overcrowded and some of those on it were without life jackets is of even greater concern, and the more reason why the state government will be investigating the incident and all those found culpable of having compromised on safety standards will face the wrath of the law.
“As a government, our administration remains committed to protecting the sanctity of life and providing an enabling environment for business, tourism and peaceable living. Therefore, any untoward action that could derail our objective will not be tolerated.”