Eight drown as speed boats collide in Cross River
At least eight passengers are believed to have drowned following a collision between two speed boats in the Tikoro area near Cameroon on September 6, 2026.
The incident occurred in the afternoon when a W23 speed boat, carrying 13 Nigerian passengers from Ikang in the Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State, struck another W23 vessel equipped with two Yamaha engines. Reports indicate the boat was navigating through Cameroonian territorial waters at the time of the collision.
Local fishermen assisted in the rescue of five passengers, while eight others are feared to be missing. The bodies of the presumed drowned individuals were later recovered and transported to Simon Beach in Ikang, within the Bakassi LGA.
Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata confirmed the incident. He stated that the Marine Police have been instructed to facilitate the identification of the recovered bodies by their families. The bodies will subsequently be taken to the morgue as investigations into the circumstances of the collision continue.
“The Command is also working with relevant authorities and affected families to determine the full context of the incident,” Akata said, adding that further information will be released as details become available.
