A 31-year-old footballer, Earnest Peremobowei, has drowned during a boat accident at Yenebelebiri community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, after saving five other occupants of the boat.
The corpse of the footballer was recovered two days after the incident and deposited in a morgue at the Federal Medical Centre.
It was gathered that the incident happened on Wednesday evening, when the boat they were using to get access to their community lost control due to the high current of flood water.
The deceased had won laurels with several local teams in the state, including the Internal Grace Football Club which emerged winner of the last state governor’s cup tagged “Prosperity Cup”.
He was also voted as the third best highest goal scorer during this year’s edition of the Bayelsa State Governor’s Cup.
Locals around the community told journalists that he was on his way to the Yenebelebiri community located across Yenagoa, the state capital, in company with five persons when their boat crashed into the Government Jetty Barge and lost control.
The younger brother of the deceased, Earnest Komboye, who confirmed the incident, said the victim got exhausted after saving five occupants of the boat.
He said: “He was in ccompany with five other persons who were trying to cross over to the Yenebelebiri community to check the level of flood in their houses.
“But due to the high current of the flood, the driver lost control of the boat and it hit the Government Jetty Barge. He was the only one who knew how to swim well and he rescued the five persons with him. I think he was exhausted and was washed away by the current.”
He also confirmed that the last person rescued by his late brother is receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa.
He said the death of his brother was painful, describing it as a huge loss to the family.
The brother added that the late footballer is survived by wife and two children aged 10 months and 3 years.
He appealed to the state government to assist the deceased’s children and the family.