Three feared dead as car plunges into river in Delta

By Emma  Amaize & Akpokona Omafuaire

WARRI—A Volkswagen Audi 80 saloon car, plunged into Agbarho River, on East-West Road in Delta State, weekend, killing three out of the five persons on board, believed to be workers of an oil servicing company in Enerhen, Warri, Delta State.

One of the victims was said to be married with four children. Details of the incident were still sketchy at press time, but it was gathered that the accident could have been due to the foggy weather on Saturday morning.

A source said the straightforward plunge of vehicles into the river in recent times  was due to the alleged failure of the contractor handling that section of the East-West Road to provide a barrier after the initial iron barrier was broken down.

*File photo: Site of a road accident

The victims were said to be going to work when the accident occurred. Officials of Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, and military personnel were on hand to control traffic and salvage the remains of the car when Vanguard got to the scene.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that the car plunged into the river at 5.30 a.m, and that only two out of the five occupants came out alive, while the three others were still missing, six hours after.

Mr. Taiye Akinmola, who claimed to be a brother to one of the victims, said: “My brother was a staff of Python Engineering Company at Enerhen. He left with four staff in his car. I was later called on the phone by one of the survivors that their car plunged into the river.

“As I talk to you, my brother is missing with two others. The caller who is one of the workers said he swam out of the river with another worker, but my brother and two other workers were trapped in the vehicle.”

Divers located the car and brought it ashore at 1:49 pm, but the three others were not in it.