Tragedy struck at Akede Community waterfront in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area on Tuesday afternoon when a speed boat collided with a fishing boat, leaving at least four people feared dead.
The incident occurred around 4:30 PM on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.
According to reports, a speed boat named Meeting Marine, powered by a 115HP engine and operated by a man identified as Saturday, was traveling from Anyama Ijaw towards Lubia and Foropa communities when it collided with a fishing boat at the Akede Community waterfront. The collision resulted in fatalities from both boats.
A woman and a young girl from the fishing boat tragically drowned, while another woman and girl from the speed boat also lost their lives.
The state chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Ogoniba Ipigansi, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday night. He revealed that as of late Tuesday night, the bodies of the four victims had yet to be recovered.
Comrade Ipigansi stated that the union was alerted to the accident and immediately dispatched a speed boat to the scene. The team successfully rescued the surviving passengers from the speed boat.
He further announced that the union would gather at its Secretariat in Swali, Yenagoa, on Wednesday morning to coordinate an extensive search operation for the recovery of the victims’ bodies.