The Ports Manager, Port Harcourt Port, Rivers State, Mr Oladele Alabi  has disclosed that investigation is in progress on the sinking of three gunboats belonging to the Nigeria Police, Marine Division at Abonnema Wharf Jetty by a chattered vessel recently.

Mr Alabi made this known when members of the newly inaugurated Maritime and Energy Media Practitioners (MEMP) visited him in his office at the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) complex, Basket House, Port Harcourt recently.

He said although it was an accident, claims of damages would be made after the on-going investigation.

According to him, the authorities are on top of the incident and that appropriate action would be taken after the police investigation, pointing out that it was an unfortunate incident.

The Port Manager noted that the captain of the ill-fated ship, Mr Dereck Oslo, an Indian and a Nigerian Engineer, Dickson Otubike who were apprehended after the incident when they attempted to escape with the vessel have since been released.

He said no casualty was recorded during the incident, and that two of the three gunboats that were sunk have been recovered.

Mr Alabi hinted that the vessel heading to Abonnema waterways navigated dangerously, thereby causing an upsurge of waves that caused great impact on the boats anchored at the Marine Police Jetty at Abonnema Wharf, forcing them to sink in the process.

Although report has it that other boats anchored at the shore were badly affected by the wave, and that the owners were also making frantic efforts for necessary claims from the company.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Rivers State Police Command, Mr Ben Uguegbulam, who also confirmed that investigation is on-going by the State CID, said as soon as investigation is completed, the press would be briefed officially on the out-come.

Collins Barasimeye