Two sand miners in Calabar have been rescued from drowning by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) operatives in Calabar Area Office after their boats capsized.
News Diet gathered that their watercrafts had capsized due to rough tides as they went about their business of sand mining along the Calabar channel.
“While on routine Water Patrol at about 5pm on Monday 4th November 2024, we received a distress call about sand miners who were overtaken by rough tidal wave along the Calabar channel.
“The Patrol team on receipt of the call, immediately swung into action and was able to promptly rescue the two young men who were almost drowning and were gasping for breath at the point of the incident. Though, their sand boat with the contents were completely submerged, the victims aged between 23 and 25 were rescucitated and handed over to their families,” the regulator said.
Speaking with News Diet, the Calabar Area Manager, NIWA, Engr. Stanley Onuoha, stressed that the survivals were aided by the fact that they wore proper life-jackets provided by NIWA.
“Their watercrafts didn’t clash with any wreck or another boat. The accident was simply a result of the high tides and there was a heavy rainfall on that day.
“What we can learn from this incident is the essence of putting on life jackets. As the regulator, we would continue to sensitize the operators, engage them and provide the necessary infrastructure,” Onuoha told our correspondent.
