No fewer than five persons were rescued alive and three lifeless bodies were recovered by the Oyo State Fire Services Agency as a passenger bus plunged into the Ariyo River along Amuloko road in Ibadan.

The Chairman of the agency, Mr Moroof Akinwande, confirmed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Ibadan.

Akinwande said the agency's personnel got a distress call about the incident on Wednesday through a telephone call from one Mrs Fadeke Yusuf and immediately deployed personnel to the scene.

"Upon arrival, we met a Suzuki bus (OSUN) LEW 484 XA with eight passengers which lost control and crashed into a river.

"Five persons were rescued alive and conveyed to Ona - Ara private Hospital Jegede area, while three dead bodies were recovered and handed over to a team of policemen from Ogbere Divisional headquarters led by ASP Aishat Ibrahim," he said.

He attributed the cause of the accident to reckless driving and advised motorists to always drive with care and observe the road safety tips to avoid unnecessary accidents.

Akinwande appreciated the support of the crew of Oyo State Road Transport Management Agency (OYRTMA) Ona Ara Division, and Glorious Temitope, Chairman of Ona Ara Local Government during the operation.

(NAN)