Four out of 32 passengers who were on board when a 608 bus plunged into Akaeze River in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have been rescued alive after 24 hours of the accident.
However, 18 corpses have been recovered from the river while 9 are still missing.
One of the survivors responding to treatment in a nearby private hospital in the area was the driver of the bus, Mr. Nwaonu Chinedu, a native of Ikwo Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, the chairman of the council, Chief Onyebuchi Ogbadu added that four out of the missing corpses were also recovered in the early hours of yesterday morning.
“Just this morning, we recovered four more corpses and a search to recover the others is still ongoing by the professional divers that were brought in from Port Harcourt to assist the local divers,” he said.
Also, in the course of removing the bus from the river on Saturday, seven corpses that were trapped in the bus were recovered.
Meanwhile, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has sympathised with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the accident and called for a full investigation into the matter.
“I sympathise with the families of those that were involved in this ugly incident and urge them to look unto God in this trying time as He alone can close the vacuum.
Recall that a Mercedes Benz 608 Bus conveying mourners from a burial programme in Afikpo South, Ebonyi State on Friday morning (last week) while attempting to overtake a MAN Diesel truck plunged into a river, killing about 28 persons on board.
Daily Trust gathered that the bus with Reg no. UKP 78 XA was hired by Christ Peculiar Church of Nigeria, Enugu State branch to convey its members to the burial ceremony.
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