Tragedy on the Benin-Lagos Expressway: Bus plunges into river, two dead, six rescued, many missing
Ovia River
Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga
By Jethro Ibileke
A commercial bus plunged into the Ovia River along the Benin/Lagos Expressway in Edo State on Thursday evening, resulting in the rescue of six passengers and the recovery of two bodies.
Several others remain trapped in the river.
The State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Cyril Mathew, provided an update to journalists in Benin on Friday.
He reported that the FRSC had initiated rescue operations immediately after the accident and continued the efforts into Friday.
The bus, which was traveling from Lagos to Port Harcourt, veered off the highway and plunged into the river around 4:20 pm on Thursday.
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According to Mathew, divers have been deployed to recover the remaining trapped passengers, though negotiations for their services are ongoing. The divers have requested ₦2 million for their recovery operations.
“The initial rescue mission was conducted on Thursday, with six people being rescued alive. Unfortunately, one body was recovered yesterday, and another was recovered today,” Mathew stated.
“The chances of survival for those still trapped are slim, given that the accident happened in the evening.”
Survivors of the crash revealed that the driver lost control of the bus due to brake failure.
In an attempt to avoid colliding with vehicles in front, the driver veered into the opposite lane, crossing from the Ore-Benin-Lagos route to the Benin-Ore Road. Despite efforts to regain control, the bus struck a pavement and plunged into the river.
The FRSC continues to coordinate with emergency services and divers to ensure a thorough recovery operation and provide support to the affected families.
