A 31-year-old Nigerian footballer, Peremobowei Ernest, reportedly got drowned in the Yenebelebiri community in the Yenagoa Local Government area of Bayelsa State after rescuing some co-passengers in a sinking boat.
The corpse of the deceased was, however, recovered, two days after and deposited in the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre.
According to report, one of the persons rescued by the late footballer is at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa receiving treatment.
The deceased, who is a father of two children, won laurels with several local teams, including the Internal Grace Football Club, which emerged as the winner of last year’s Bayelsa State Governor’s Cup tagged “Prosperity Cup.” He has also been voted the third-best highest goal scorer in the tournament.
It was gathered that he was on his way to the Yenebelebiri community in the state capital in the company of five persons when their boat smashed into the Government Jetty Barge and lost control. He was swept away by the high flood after saving five other occupants of the boat.
Confirming the incident, the younger brother of the deceased, Komboye Ernest, said the brother died of exhaustion after saving five occupants of the boat.
He said: “He was in the company of five other persons who were trying to cross over to the Yenebelebiri community to check the level of flood to their houses and property.
“Due to the high current of the flood, they lost control of the boat when they smashed into the Government Jetty Barge. He was the only one that knows how to swim well and he rescued the five people with him. I think he was exhausted and was washed away by the current
“This is a painful and huge loss to his wife and two children, aged between 10 months and three years. We are appealing to the state government to assist the deceased’s children and the family in these trying moments.”
