The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said on Sunday that it would investigate the boat accident that occurred on Anam River in Anambra State on April 10.
The accident claimed the lives of actor John Paul Odonwodo aka Junior Pope and some crew members including Abigail Frederick, Precious Oforum, and Joseph Anointing.
The boat was said to have been conveying 12 persons at the time it collided with a canoe.
In a statement, NSIB’s spokesman Bimbo Oladeji quoted the director general, Captain Alex Badeh Jnr, as saying an investigation team had been dispatched to the accident site.
He said, “The investigation scope includes, but is not limited to, examination of the wreckage from both vessels involved in the collision, interviews with surviving crew members and eyewitnesses, review of operational procedures for the commercial speed boat, analysis of weather and environmental conditions at the time of the accident, and assessment of compliance with relevant safety standards and regulations for inland waterway transportation.”
The NSIB, according to Badeh, will collaborate with the Anambra State Police Command’s Marine Police section, maritime authorities, and industry experts to investigate the accident.
The investigation will produce both preliminary and final reports, aiming to provide recommendations for preventing similar accidents in the future.
Badeh said, “The NSIB extends its deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this heartbreaking accident.
“We share in your grief and are fully committed to conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of this tragedy and prevent similar occurrences in the future.”
