No fewer than 30 mourners, who were returning from a funeral, were feared died after a bus they were travelling in plunged into a river in Nigeria’s Ebonyi State.
The incident was said to have happened on Akaeze-Ishiagu highway in Akaeze Development Centre, Ivo Local Government Area of the eastern state on Friday around 6pm.
The driver of the ill-fated bus was said to have attempted to overtake a trailer just before a bridge in the area.
The driver of the bus was said to have lost control of the vehicle and veered off into the river with the vehicle and its occupants submerged immediately.
At the time of filing this report, only five persons in critical conditions had been reportedly rescued and rushed to the hospital for treatment.
A woman, who was part of the five rescued, was said to have died at the hospital.
An eyewitness said there were about 36 people in the bus.
Police spokesman in the state, Loveth Odah, confirmed the incident, describing it as “very unfortunate.”
She, however, said about five people had been rescued from the river, adding that efforts were on to rescue others.
“It is a very unfortunate incident. The DPO of the area just told me that about five persons have been rescued and rushed to the hospital while efforts were on to see if some other persons could be rescued too.
“Our men are already on ground to see what can be done to help the situation,” Odah said.
