Mr. Desmond Amaugo, sailor of the boat that capsized over the weekend at Umunankwo in Ogbaru local government area of Anambra State in which many people died, said yesterday that contrary to reports that 85 people were on board the boat, the actual number was 48.
He added that he was forced to embark on the ill-fated trip by female traders who were desperate to dispose of their crops harvested prematurely due to this year’s flood that submerged their farms before the maturity of the planted crops.
The boat was carrying mostly women and children at the time of the incident.
Amaugo made the revelation yesterday in Ogbaru Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.
He said: “I did not want to embark on that trip, but the people, mostly women, who were desperate to go to Nkwo Ogbakuba market to sell premature crops harvested from flooded farms, begged me to ferry them to the market.
“The market women besieged my house and persuaded me to sail them to Ogbakuba. Having taken off, the wave became too severe and all my attempts to control it failed. The water waves knocked the boat against the pillars of Umunnakwo/Ossomala bridge against all efforts I made to stabilize it.
“Suddenly, the boat capsized. It was terrible seeing people struggle for life.”
He said that the search team recovered 10 more bodies yesterday, adding that efforts were still being made to recover others.
Many people, including family members of the victims, were at the site of the incident, trying to see if the bodies of their relations could be found.
