An eyewitness has claimed that the pilot of the boat that allegedly caused the canoe to capsize resulting in the death of one Precious Imabibo of Koko-Ama Community in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State was a woman.

In an interview with Kristina Reports on Sunday, January 21, 2024 in Koko-Ama Community, the immediate younger brother of the deceased, Soala Ipalibo said the catamaran, Confidence I, was being piloted by a yet-to-be-identified woman.

He accused the said female pilot of causing the unfortunate death of his brother, stressing that she drove the catamaran on high speed thus causing strong waves that tumbled his brother’s canoe.

“Confidence I is the name of the NLNG boat; a lady was the pilot. This lady is always driving like that. sometimes you will be waving and she will not stop. She will still speed up and this is not the first time it’s happening.”

Checks by Kristina Reports indicate that the catamarans, Confidence I to VI, operated by Miden Systems Limited, provides transport services for the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), ferrying its staff, their dependants and community stakeholders between its jetty in Bonny Island and its Integrated Supply Base (ISB) at Amadi-Ama on a daily basis.

General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development of the Nigeria LNG, Andy Odeh had told Kristina Reports via an email earlier on Sunday, January 21, 2024 that his company had initiated an immediate probe of the incident.

Residents of Koko-Ama Community who are knowledgeable of the incident hinted Kristina Reports that the Confidence I was on the afternoon sail, which inside sources at NLNG place at 1300hours.

They are asking the company to begin the probe by identifying the captain of Confidence I on the 1300hours sail and take it up from there to truly get to the root of the matter.