The Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has said he is deeply saddened by Thursday’s boat incident at Okoroma community along the waterways in the Nembe Local Government Area of the state.
Diri said this in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, on Saturday.
At least three corpses have been recovered from the river since the mishap, which involved a local passenger boat.
The boat was said to be carrying scores of passengers and goods worth millions of naira from Yenagoa to Okpoama and neighbouring communities in the Brass LGA when it suddenly went under the waters reportedly due to being overloaded.
The governor directed the relevant government agencies, including security agencies, to collaborate in the search-and-rescue efforts and ensure the recovery of all missing persons.
He sympathised with injured victims and the families that lost persons in the sad incident.
He prayed that God would succour them over the unfortunate mishap.
Diri added that the government would review the cause of the incident in order to take steps to ensure the safety of lives and goods on the state’s waterways.