by Isi Esene

Thirty three bus passengers were reported to have died on Friday along the J4, Ogbere-Ijebu stretch of the Sagamu–Ore Expressway when their vehicle skidded-off the road and plunged into a river.

It was learnt that three people survived the accident including a pregnant woman who was said to have hung between a tree branch.

Seidu Isah Osilama, the Ijebu-Ode sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), confirmed the incident saying his men arrived the scene of the accident almost immediately after it happened.

He said three occupants of the Coaster bus fell off the vehicle and hung on a three making it possible for them to be rescued.

The survivors have been taken to an hospital to receive medical attention.

Osilana said the recovery efforts will require a crane and divers to ascertain the exact location of the submerged vehicle. The bus was said to have drifted away from the point where it plunged into the river.

The FRSC sector commander could not confirm the number of passengers in the bus.

The Head of Operation of the FRSC in Ogun State, Cecilia Alao, said the accident occurred at about 12pm when the driver of the 36-seater coastal bus reportedly slept off.

“We also hired a crane to pull the vehicle from the driver but after trying from 12 p.m to 6 p.m, we could not find the bus and other victims apart from the three.

“All other efforts to locate the vehicle and the victims proved abortive, the operation will continue over the night as we are not going to relent in our efforts,” she said.