A student at Maritime University, Okerenkoko, in Warri South-west Local Government Area of Delta state has reportly drowned in a boast mishap along Warri River.
The deceased student has been identified as Popo Precious, a Marine Engineering Cadet, Tamar 3.
The sources said the ill-fated boat capsized on Friday when the victims and other passengers were travelling from the University community to Warri.
It was gathered that the victims boarded a private boat instead of the school boat which they already paid for as part of their fees. Other students who boarded the boat were rescued by the driver.
The cause of the accident is still unknown but some of the surviving victims said that the boat capsized.
On of the student how survived the boat mishap revealed that some of the passengers,include locals, were not wearing life jackets anddid not know how to swin.
The source noted that bodies of deceased were later found by the local divers.
The deceased student, an Ijaw by tribe, was said to have been buried by his family on Friday evening while the corpse of the caterer was deposited at the Warri Central Hospital.
According to the reports, a top of official of the University who confirmed the incident to journalists on Sunday, October 3, said that the boat driver has been arrested by operatives of Marine Police.
The Officials said “They boarded a private boat against the school rule that students and staff should only make use of school owned boats and any other provided by management to ferry students to Warri,”.
He added “It was on their way going that the boat capsized. Unfortunately, one of our students and caterer drowned in the process. We don’t know exactly what happened but the boat driver is already answering questions from police. The school has never recorded a case of boat mishap since we commenced academic activities.”
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