The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Calabar Area Office successfully rescued two young sand miners on Monday evening after their boat capsized due to rough tidal waves along the Calabar channel. The incident occurred around 5:00 p.m. on November 4, 2024.

NIWA’s patrol team, while on a routine water patrol, received a distress call reporting that the miners were in danger after being overtaken by strong waves. Responding immediately, the patrol team arrived at the scene and successfully saved the two men, aged between 23 and 25, who were found struggling for air and on the verge of drowning.

Although the miners’ boat and its sand cargo were completely submerged, the NIWA team managed to rescue and revive the two men before handing them over to their families. NIWA Calabar Area Office emphasized the importance of water safety and the agency’s commitment to safeguarding lives on the nation’s waterways.