Scores feared drowned as jetty collapses in Rivers community

About 20 persons are feared missing after falling into the river when a jetty collapsed at Isaka Community in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The accident happened Saturday evening as passengers were struggling to board boats from the community back to Port Harcourt after attending a burial ceremony.

Local sources have it that there was a big burial programme that attracted many people to the area and that over 80 people had emptied into the jetty causing pressure on the old, rickety facility.

The source explained that as the crowd was struggling for boats to leave the island community, the jetty which was commissioned in the military era of Dauda Musa Komo as military administrator of the state caved in with many falling into the river.

A resident of the area, Mr Isaac Walter, who witnessed the incident narrated how many persons have not been found since the accident noting that local divers in the area had gone into the river and that many people have been rescued.

He said; “Today we had burial a programme at Isaka and a lot of people were in attendance. On our way back people came to board vessels at the jetty.

“In that process, the jetty caved in and so many people fell into the river and they were not able to be rescued. Few of them were rescued easily. I was standing a bit away from the point that caved in.

“The jetty is an old jetty. It was during Komo’s period (as military administrator of the state) that they inaugurated that jetty. We have tried to get another jetty but we could not.

“The people came on it, the pressure was on the jetty and then it caved in. The people on the jetty at moment were more than 70. Local divers are still combing the area to find survivors. Though some were rescued.

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