‘It Was a Trap’: Delta Gunboat Mishap Kills Corps Member, Naval Officers

More bodies have been recovered from the tragic naval gunboat incident that occurred Thursday evening in Delta State, leaving at least thre...

More bodies have been recovered from the tragic naval gunboat incident that occurred Thursday evening in Delta State, leaving at least three confirmed dead, including a corps member and two naval personnel. The victims were part of a nine-man team on a routine mission in the creeks when their boat capsized under unclear circumstances.

A senior naval source who spoke anonymously described the vessel’s structure as a major contributing factor to the fatalities.

“Gunboats are built with protective windscreens. When the accident occurred, the glass barriers made it difficult for those on board to swim out,” the source explained.
“Just like it’s hard to open a car door underwater, escaping from a gunboat is equally challenging. They probably struggled with the doors until they grew too weak. It’s a miracle some of them made it out alive.”

The source further noted that although the victims wore lifejackets, the gunboat’s reinforced structure became a death trap, overwhelming the buoyancy devices and reducing their chances of survival.

Survivor’s Close Call

One of the few people who narrowly escaped being part of the doomed voyage was Mr. Dele Fasan, the South-South Regional Editor of Galaxy Television. Fasan had earlier traveled with the same gunboat earlier that day while covering a Nigerian Navy medical outreach in Okerenkoko community, Warri South West Local Government Area.

“After the first phase of the medical outreach, they invited journalists to stay for the second round,” Fasan said.
“I told the Commander I needed to return to Warri to send my report. He even encouraged me to stay overnight, but I insisted on leaving.”

Fasan said the Commander arranged a separate boat for him and some colleagues, a decision that may have saved their lives.

“We were all in that gunboat earlier. One of us even made a video while we were on board. I felt terrible when I heard the news. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.”

Investigations Ongoing

The Nigerian Navy has not yet released a full statement detailing the circumstances of the incident or confirming the names of the deceased, but search and recovery efforts are ongoing.

The tragedy has reignited discussions about the safety of enclosed military vessels, especially in operations involving journalists or civilian participants.

“We hope this tragedy forces a rethink on how missions are handled in risky terrains,” said a security analyst in Warri who asked not to be named. “If structural design issues can trap trained officers, what hope do civilians have?”

The nation awaits a formal response from naval authorities, as questions continue to mount over what led to one of the most devastating naval accidents in recent memory.