Sequel to the recent boat mishap, which left 3 medical students missing, the governor of Cross River State, southern Nigeria, Senator Bassey Otu has indefinitely suspended all cruise operations at ‘The Marina Resort’ in Calabar.
Read Also: Governor Otu Orders Investigation Into Calabar River Boat Mishap
It would be recalled that on Saturday, a boat conveying 14 medical students on a leisure trip along the Calabar River channel capsized leading to the loss of three, while the Nigerian Navy personnel from the NNS Victory, Calabar rescued eleven of those involved in the accident.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche indicated that Governor Otu has directed “all cruise boat operations and other activities at the Marina Resort to be suspended immediately until further notice.”
The release further indicated that the governor has directed the cruise boat operators and the management of the State Tourism Bureau to attend a crucial meeting in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government on Tuesday, June 27th, 2023.
According to the Chief Press Secretary, “Besides the cruise boat operations, the State Ministry of Transport is to immediately cross-check the safety standards and conditions of all boats operating along the Calabar waterways.”
“The Nigeria Police Force, Cross River State Command to speed up its investigations into the fatal boat accident and prosecute those found culpable to serve as a deterrent.”
Meanwhile, the president of the Nigerian Medical Students Association, Mr. Ejim Clement Egba in the company of other leaders have urged rescue teams comprising the Nigerian Navy, Marine Police, and local divers including related agencies not to relent in their effort to locate the three remaining students.
Egba, who spoke with some reporters at the Marina Resort in Calabar, where the students assembled for the boat rides, attributed the accident to the negligence of the operators and management of the resort.
He said: “Factors that contributed to this occurrence include: leaky boat, poor condition and integrity of the vests, poorly maintained engines resulting in the engine going off during the trip, fuel finishing before they got back to shore, little or no supervision by management, poor regulation and monitoring.
“The association’s leadership ensured that those rescued were taken to the hospital for medical attention, while a delegation visited the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory base to solicit for the continued assistance of its search and rescue teams for the three remaining students.
“Besides that, we have reached out to the marine police as well as the indigenous divers. I had since converged an emergency briefing with all the delegates, explicitly explaining measures instituted and ongoing actions by security agencies to recover our colleagues. All the delegates involved had since been discharged in good condition but one who is still being observed, though will be discharged soon as he is stable and ambulant,” the NIMSA president said.
He expressed gratitude to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar Professor Florence Obi and her management as well as those, who supported and showed solidarity with the affected students and the association in general.
