June 26, 2023

Gov. Bassey Otu in further response to the cruise boat mishap involving 14 medical students at the Marina Resort on Saturday, ordered the suspension of cruise operations and other activities at the resort.

The order was given in a statement signed by Mr. Emmanuel Ogbeche, Chief Press Secretary to the governor.

The accident occurred on Saturday at about 3 p.m.

The boat was ferrying 14 medical students from different tertiary institutions in the nation.

The governor had earlier ordered an investigation into the incident in which 11 of the 14 students who were in Calabar for their Annual Health Week were rescued and three feared dead.

“All cruise operations and other activities at the Marina Resorts hereby suspended immediately until further notice.

“Operators of cruise boats and management of the state’s Tourism Bureau are directed to attend a meeting in the office of the Secretary to the State Government on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.

“Besides the cruise boat operations, the State Ministry of Transport is to immediately cross check the safety standards and conditions of all boats operating in Calabar waterways,” he said.

The governor also appealed to the police to speed up their investigations of the fatal boat accident and prosecute those culpable.

In an interview with newsmen, Ejim Egba, National President of the Nigeria Medical Students Association, (NiMSA) accused the management of the resort of negligence, incompetence and lackadaisical attitude.

He said that the engine of the boat had gone off in the middle of the river and water started entering the boat which caused it to start sinking and finally capsized.

“Factors that contributed to the mishap included a leaky boat, poor condition and integrity of the vests, poorly maintained engines resulting in the engine going off during the trip.

“Also, their was little or no supervision by Marina Resort management as well as poor regulation and monitoring”, Egba said.

The medical students had converged in Calabar, for the annual NIMSA Health Week and, as part of the activities, decided to visit the resort, where some embarked on a boat cruise.