Photo: premium times

Nigerian fishermen

A boat travelling from Oron in Akwa Ibom State to Gabon yesterday capsized at the Calabar Waterways with no fewer than 166 passengers feared dead.

Eyewitnesses told cross river watch that the passengers were travelling in a "giant-sized wooden boat" when it capsized 40 nautical miles along the coast of Calabar, off Gabon waterways".

Investigation by crossriverwatch shows that 45 corpses of some of the victims have already been deposited at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) mortuary.

Mr. David Akate, the Assistant Director, Information, Cross River Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), who confirmed the incident, did not give further details.

But eyewitnesses who spoke to our reporter said that the boat was carrying 166 passengers, adding that rescue efforts were still going on.

A marine transporter at the Calabar Inland Waterways, Mr.Ikechukwu Egwu, also confirmed the incident. He said that the passengers of the boat were mostly Igbo traders who were heading for Gabon.

The victims' corpses were deposited in UCTH Calabar because they were believed to be Nigerians.