….FRSC recovers two corpses and six alive from bus that plunged into river
One of the victims was simply identified as Emmanuel Edionwe, while the other four were said to be his friends.
The tragic accident occured when the victims were returning from a burial ceremony when they met their untimely death.
The bodies of four of the deceased victims were said to have been deposited at the Edo State University, Uzaurie Mortuary in Etsako West Local Government Area.
It was also gathered that Okpebholo’s convoy rammed into the victims’ silver Camry car when they were attempting to negotiate a sharp bend on the road, with many eye-witnesses stating that the accident occurred as a result of rough driving.
A relative of Emmanuel Edionwe, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “We are devastated beyond words. Emmanuel was a good, easy going boy who should not be dead today.
“He and his friends were driving in the Silver Camry car. After the accident, we just learnt that five of them have died after the collision with Okpebholo’s convoy. Emmanuel and four of his friends are dead. There is just one of them who is in critical condition and is now being nursed to life at the hospital.”
Noting that Edionwe died at the Irrua Specialist Hospital (ISH) in Irrua, where he was later transferred to for specialist care, he said: “It was officials of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) that evacuated the bodies from the scene of the accident. Four of them died yesterday. One died this morning. There is only one surviving person in critical condition.”
The source noted that Okpebholo sneaked to check on the victims in the hospitalthey had been rushed to in Auchi after the accident but that it was disheartening that the APC campaign council has refused to acknowledge the incident or even commiserate with the affected families.
“We feel really bad that the APC has not said anything about the accident. It is insensitive. No one who suffers such a loss should be left without closure,” he said.
Accordingly to him, the victims are not part of the campaign train but persons travelling on their own.
When contacted the Edo State Sector of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the incident.
In a related development, Edo FRSC also said that it had rescued six persons alive and two others dead from a commercial bus that plunged into the Ovia River in the state on Thursday evening.
Mr Cyril Mathew, Edo Sector Commander, FRSC, said six persons were rescued alive, two bodies were recovered dead while more passengers were still trapped inside the river.
Mathew added hat divers had been contacted to recover the passengers trapped in the river.
He said FRSC began the rescue mission on Thursday and had continued to Friday.
‘Six people were rescued alive, while one was recovered dead yesterday. Another body was recovered dead today.
“Unfortunately, the chances of survival of the remaining passengers in the river are slim, given that the accident occurred yesterday evening,
“We have engaged divers to help recover the bodies, but negotiations are ongoing. ‘The divers are asking for N2 million to carry out the recovery” he said.
He said the accident occurred at about 4:20 pm on Thursday when a bus traveling from Lagos and heading to Port Harcourt veered off the highway and plunged into the river.
He said “according to passengers who survived the crash, the driver lost control of the bus after experiencing brake failure.
“In a desperate attempt to avoid colliding with vehicles in front, the driver veered into the opposite lane, leaving the Ore-Benin-Lagos route and crossing over to the Benin-Ore road.
