3 dead, 19 rescued as boat capsizes in Rivers

Two male adults and a young girl have lost their lives in a boat accident in Rivers.
The three passengers drowned following the capsizing of their boat which was travelling from Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital to Bonny Island.
Nineteen of the passengers were also rescued.
Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirming the incident to journalists on Tuesday.
The incident which occurred at about 5pm on Sunday around an area known as ‘Yellow Platform’ – not far from Bonny – is believed to have been as a result of a sudden storm.
The unfortunate boat had put out to sea from the Bonny/Nembe/Bille Waterfront Jetty in Port Harcourt with 22 passengers.
She described the situation as sad.
“It is very sad, but 19 passengers were rescued alive. The boat capsized at Yellow Platform in Bonny while en route from Port Harcourt. Investigations are ongoing,” she said.
Corroborating the account, the Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Rivers Commercial District, Israel Pepple said it was caused by a windstorm.