At least three bodies have been recovered from a river following a bus accident in Oyo State, while five other passengers were rescued alive, the Oyo State Fire Service has confirmed.
The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon along Amuloko Road in Ona Ara Local Government Area plunged into the Ariyo River.
The fire service promptly deployed personnel to the scene. Chairman of the agency, Hon. Maroof Akinwande, confirmed the rescue operation, stating that five passengers were pulled from the river alive and rushed to a private hospital in Jegede, Ona Ara for medical attention.
He further disclosed that the three bodies recovered were handed over to a team of policemen from the Ogbere Divisional Police Headquarters, led by ASP Aishat Ibrahim, for further investigation.
Akinwande attributed the accident to reckless driving, saying, “A Suzuki bus (Osun) LEW 484 XA with eight passengers lost control and crashed into a river. Five persons were rescued alive and conveyed to Ona Ara private hospital, Jegede area, while three bodies were recovered and handed over to the police team from Ogbere Divisional headquarters led by ASP Aishat Ibrahim.”
The fire service operation also included support from the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA) and the Chairman of Ona Ara Local Government, Hon. Glorious Temitope, who were present at the scene.
Authorities warned that the accident serves as a reminder of the dangers of reckless driving on state roads and urged drivers to exercise caution to prevent similar tragedies.
The rescued victims are receiving medical care, while investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the crash to ensure accountability and improve road safety in the state.