The lifebuoy compulsorily worn by all passengers along the Opobo Rivers may have contributed to the survival, Thursday, of about nine persons who escaped what would have been another tragic incident that frequently occurs along the Opobo/Kono water route. The passengers we gathered were on their way to Opobo Town for the investiture and award ceremony of the Rivers State Commissioner for Works by the Opobo/Kono Legislative Assembly when their boat in a bid to navigate one of the creeks capsized in the river. Reports indicate that the speed at which the boat was cruising led to the incident but fortunately the nine passengers including the former leader of the Opobo/Nkoro Legislative Assembly swam to safety. Drenched in the salty water the passengers they were later driven ashore to Opobo Town by a life saving boat. Earlier, this year a similar incident occurred along the waterway when about six passengers lost their lives as their boat capsized on their way to Kono. In a bid to checkmate the problem, the Opobo/Nkoro Legislative Assembly has already commenced deliberations on the Safety/Water bill aimed at regulating activities of boat operators in the area. The chairman of Opobo/Nkoro local government council, Hon Maclean Uranta had directed all boat drivers to restrict their operations within the day time, pointing out that most mishaps took place at night. In the light of this, the council provided life jackets for passengers, and instituted a committee to ensure compliance with its use.