A tragic boat accident has thrown Bayelsa State into mourning after a pastor and his wife lost their lives when a passenger boat carrying church members capsized along the Odioma-Brass River in Brass Local Government Area.
The incident occurred on Friday as the victims and other worshippers were travelling to Yenagoa for a church programme. Witnesses said the boat ran into severe weather conditions during a heavy rainfall before overturning in the river.
Several passengers were reportedly rescued alive by local residents and emergency responders, but the pastor and his wife were among those caught in the disaster.
Community sources disclosed that the body of the pastor’s wife was later recovered from the river and deposited in a mortuary, while frantic efforts continued to locate the pastor and other passengers believed to be missing.
The spokesperson of the Bayelsa State Police Command, DSP Musa Mohammed, confirmed the incident, stating that rescue operations were still ongoing and authorities could not immediately determine the exact number of casualties.
According to him, operatives of the Marine Unit of the Nigeria Police Force had joined local divers and community volunteers in the search mission.
“The number of casualties cannot be confirmed for now because rescue efforts are still ongoing,” the police spokesperson said.
The Youth President of Odioma Community, Moses Inene, also confirmed that the pastor and his wife were among those involved in the accident.
He revealed that local divers had been mobilised to intensify the search operation in the river as families of the victims waited anxiously for updates.
The tragedy has sparked renewed concerns over water transportation safety in riverine communities, especially during periods of bad weather and heavy rainfall.
