Earnest Peremobowei, a 31-year-old football player from the Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa State, drowned in the surging water at the Yenebelebiri hamlet.
But two days later, the deceased's body was found and sent to the Federal Medical Center in Yenagoa, where it was placed in the mortuary.
According to PRIME 9JA ONLINE, the deceased was a well-known footballer who had achieved success with a number of local teams, including the Internal Grace Football Club, which won the most recent State Governor's Cup, also known as the Prosperity Cup.
Additionally, he received votes as the third-best goal scorer in the competition.
It was gathered that he was on his way to the Yenebelebiri community located across the state capital in the company of five persons when their boat rammed into the Government Jetty Barge and they lost control.
He eventually died in the mishap after saving five other occupants of the boat.
The younger brother to the deceased, Earnest Komboye, who confirmed the incident, said his brother died of exhaustion after saving five occupants of the boat.
“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 properties.
“Due to the high current of the flood, they lost control of the boat when they rammed into the Government Jetty Barge. He was the only one that 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,” Komboye narrated.
He also confirmed that the last person rescued by his late brother was at the Federal Medical Center Yenagoa receiving treatment.
Komboye said the loss of his brother to the flood was painful and a huge loss to the deceased’s wife and two children, aged between 10 months (a girl) and a three-year-old boy.
“The family is appealing to the State Government to assist the deceased’s children and the family at this trying moment,” Komboye added.