May 16, 2026 — SUNTV Global Channel
A tragic boat accident has claimed the lives of a pastor and his wife after a boat conveying church members capsized along the Odioma-Brass River in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The victims were reportedly travelling with other worshippers to Yenagoa for a church programme when the boat overturned during a heavy downpour on Friday.
Sources said poor weather conditions and intense rainfall may have contributed to the accident, which threw passengers into the river mid-journey.
While several passengers were rescued alive, the pastor and his wife were among those severely affected by the incident.
Local rescuers later recovered the body of the pastor’s wife, which has been deposited in a mortuary, while search efforts continued for the pastor and other passengers still feared missing.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the in Bayelsa State, DSP Musa Mohammed, stated that authorities could not immediately confirm the total number of casualties as rescue operations were still ongoing.
He disclosed that operatives of the Marine Unit had joined local divers and community volunteers in the search mission.
Also reacting to the tragedy, Moses Inene, Youth President of Odioma Community, confirmed that local divers had intensified efforts to recover missing victims from the river.
The heartbreaking incident has once again raised concerns over water transportation safety and the dangers faced by riverine communities during extreme weather conditions in parts of Nigeria.
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