Tragedy occurred at the weekend as five seafood traders lost their lives in a boat mishap in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Daily Trust gathered that the deceased were in transit on the waterways to a local market in Ugbo-Nla, one of the coastal communities in Ilaje LGA, to get seafood when their boat capsized.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, the National President of the Ondo State Fishermen Association of Nigeria, Mr Orioye Benedict Gbayisemore, said six traders were involved in the mishap but only one was rescued.
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Gabyisemore noted that the remaining five would have been rescued if they had used “life jackets” during their trip.
“It was gathered that six persons, who went to buy seafood at a local market at Ugbo-Nla, were involved in an accident on the waterway.
“Their boat capsized and five of the travellers died, while only one person was rescued, due to the use of a life jacket,” he said.
While commiserating with the families and relatives of the deceased, Mr Gbayisemore bemoaned the attitude of passengers using the waterways to trade their business without the use of life jackets.
He underscored the importance of the jackets, particularly, when plying the coaster regions of the state and the country at large, stressing that it significance would enhance safety and increase the chances of survival during an emergency.
According to him, the state government needed to urgently put in place stringent measures that would mandate the use of life jackets by commuters on waterways.
“The lone survivor in the Ugbo Nla boat mishap had the foresight to wear a life jacket, before setting out on the ill-fated trip. The life jacket was vital to his survival, keeping him buoyant until rescuers arrived.
“This tragic event serves as a critical call to the government to enforce the mandatory use of life jackets and by so doing, the government can prevent future tragedy and create a safer environment for all water commuters.
“This serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to enforce the use of life jackets for all individuals commuting on water,” he explained.
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