Good morning Nairalanders.

Knowledge they say is power and I'll want us all to look into the continuous fatalities of boat mishaps which we just drop condolences and move on as if its supposed to happen in the first place.

Having been a sea fearer for some years, I want to point out directly that the coastal transportation of Nigeria needs urgent reform and sensitization of operators to reduce loss of life.

Everywhere that I have moved locally, from calabar via oron, Apapa to marina, Port Harcourt to bonny etc, I have discovered the following deadly issues.

(1) The boat handlers are uneducated to marine safely and often time intoxicated.

(2) The fibre boats are either leaking, old and rickety.

(3) Over loading. This one is terrible wrong since every vessel has its load limit and over loading will reduce drastically the buoyancy.

(4)Old and faulty engines. A vessel that loses power in the open sea is like an airplane free falling and alot of bad things could happen in a very short time.

And a fibre boat with has relatively zero freeboard is bound to tip over when hit by beam wave.

This people operate with very old and bad engines and you hardly go a trip without them fixing this engines while the boat is drifting and the life of passengers in danger.

(5)No body or Agency is monitoring the activities of these people which makes them do whatever they like.
Be aware that the boat operators are most times professional swimmers so they don't care if the boat tips over, they will survive.

(6)This final point is what you and I can do to make a difference.

Use of life jackets.

The life jackets this operators use is more of a death sentence to non professional swimmers.
What they use is called a work vest, you will notice that they use this particular 3 foam work vest and call it a life jacket.
Please and please, don't ever accept it else u have a 80% chance of dying in the event of a boat mishap.
Find attach pictures below.

If you are a regular commuter please check the link to the US coastguard approved life jackets and buy one for your self.

This is not a life saving appliance but a work vest. It can only be improvised as a life jacket by a professional swimmer.

If this is given to you, its either u reject it or find another means of transport. This will not save u.

Follow the below link to the approved life jacket by the U.S coastguard.

http://www.unitedmarine.net/boating_safety/coastguardapproved.aspx

EMEKA1MILLION:
Good morning Nairalanders.

Knowledge they say is power and I'll want us all to look into the continuous fatalities of boat mishaps which we just drop condolences and move on as if its supposed to happen in the first place.

Having been a sea fearer for some years, I want to point out directly that the coastal transportation of Nigeria needs urgent reform and sensitization of operators to reduce loss of life.

Everywhere that I have moved locally, from calabar via oron, Apapa to marina, Port Harcourt to bonny etc, I have discovered the following deadly issues.

(1) The boat handlers are uneducated to marine safely and often time intoxicated.

(2) The fibre boats are either leaking, old and rickety.

(3) Over loading. This one is terrible wrong since every vessel has its load limit and over loading will reduce drastically the buoyancy.

(4)Old and faulty engines. A vessel that loses power in the open sea is like an airplane free falling and alot of bad things could happen in a very short time.

And a fibre boat with has relatively zero freeboard is bound to tip over when hit by beam wave.

This people operate with very old and bad engines and you hardly go a trip without them fixing this engines while the boat is drifting and the life of passengers in danger.

(5)No body or Agency is monitoring the activities of these people which makes them do whatever they like.
Be aware that the boat operators are most times professional swimmers so they don't care if the boat tips over, they will survive.

(6)This final point is what you and I can do to make a difference.

Use of life jackets.

The life jackets this operators use is more of a death sentence to non professional swimmers.
What they use is called a work vest, you will notice that they use this particular 3 foam work vest and call it a life jacket.
Please and please, don't ever accept it else u have a 80% chance of dying in the event of a boat mishap.
Find attach pictures below.

If you are a regular commuter please check the link to the US coastguard approved life jackets and buy one for your self.

cc: lalasticlala