The Cross River State Police Command has confirmed that eight passengers died after two speedboats collided in Cameroon territorial waters near the Tikoro area on September 6, 2026.
The Command disclosed this in a statement issued by its Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday, on Wednesday, September 16.
The police said the incident occurred at about 12:14 p.m. when a W23 speedboat carrying 13 Nigerian passengers from Ikang in Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State to Cameroon collided with another W23 speedboat powered by two Yamaha engines.
Five passengers survived the crash after local fishermen in Cameroon assisted in rescuing them, while eight others were feared drowned, the police said.
The bodies of those who died were later recovered and taken to Simon Beach in Ikang, Bakassi LGA.
The Marine Police in Ikang have been directed to ensure the recovered bodies are properly identified by their families and deposited at a morgue, the statement said.
The directive is part of efforts to complete the identification and documentation of the victims.
The police command said it is working with relevant authorities and the affected families to determine the circumstances that led to the collision. It added that investigations and follow-up activities were ongoing.
The command also said it would release additional information once details surrounding the incident had been verified. The crash occurred along a water route connecting Ikang in Cross River State with Cameroon, where the two vessels collided in Cameroonian waters.
