Sympathisers thronged the bridge to catch a glimpse of the car in the river
Sympathisers thronged the bridge to catch a glimpse of the car in the river
By Samuel Oyadongha – Yenegoa
One person believed to be a naval officer is feared dead with two others missing when the car in which they were travelling plunged into the river from a bridge along the Opokuma-Sampou stretch of the East-West road in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The tragic incident occurred at about 12.20pm on the usually busy road on Monday.
It caused serious gridlock as sympathisers, motorists and other road users rushed to the scene of the accident to see whatever assistance they could render.
Vanguard learned that the car was on high speed when it ran into a depression close to the bridge head causing the driver to lose control and fell into the river.
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It was further learned that the naval officer who was driving the car was heading to Port Harcourt to resume work when tragedy struck.
The driver of the ill-fated sedan car, a sky blue Toyota Lexus with Lagos plate number SMK 708 ER, was uncouncious when he was dragged out of the mangled vehicle.
But two other occupants of the vehicle were missing as the locals were sighted searching the river.
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When this reporter arrived the scene, the unconscious driver of the ill-fated car was being taken away to the hospital by some good Samaritans.
A member of the State Emergency Management Agency who spoke on condition of anonymity blamed the accident on over speeding and the poor state of the road.
Items recovered from the ill-fated car include military fatigue, naval uniform, sport wears, NDA emblem, vests, two travelling bags and a pair of white canvass among others.
Though yet to be completed, the Bayelsa stretch of the East-West road, which straddle the states of the Niger Delta is riddled with several failed portions and has caused a number of avoidable accidents and deaths.
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