Calabar Boat Mishap: Police Recovers Bodies Of Three Medical Students

More details have emerged on the boat mishap that occur in Calabar, the Cross River state capital, on Sunday.

The state police command said on Monday that it has recovered corpses of the three medical students involved in the mishap at the Marina Resort.

The state police commissioner, Gyogon Grimah, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen at the command headquarters on Monday.

He noted that the command has recovered corpses of the three medical students who were declared missing after the speed boat capsized on Saturday. 

The three students, two male and one female, were among the passengers who boarded the speed boat, en route Oron, in neighbouring Akwa Ibom state. 

“As you are all aware, on Saturday, about two days ago, after 3 in the afternoon, there was an incident reported at the Marina Resort here in Calabar where a boat capsized.

“Three students were drowned and we have not rested since then. It has been rescuing efforts day and night and this morning. I wish to let you know that three bodies have been recovered,” Grimah said.

Meanwhile, General Manager, General Manager, National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Jibril Darda’u, who also confirmed the recovery of the corpse, disclosed that the accident was caused by a combination of factors, including overloading, engine malfunction and rainy weather.

According to him, NIWA has arrested operators of the of the boat, with the jetty closed.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the cause of the incident was overloading (the boat is supposed to carry a maximum of nine passengers), engine malfunction midstream, rainy weather, and heavy turbulence that capsized the cruising boat.

“NIWA has since arrested the operators and sealed the jetty as the boat is not duly registered with NIWA, and the jetty is also not approved by NIWA.”

He added that the remaining 11 survivors who were taken to the hospital have been discharged.