Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has ordered the immediate suspension of all cruise operations and other activities at Marina Resort in Calabar over a boat accident that occurred on Saturday, June 24, 2023.

The tragic accident involved 14 medical students with three feared dead and 11 rescued.

In a statement on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Ogbeche, the governor also ordered that “cruise boat operators with the management of the State Tourism Bureau are directed to attend a meeting in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government on Tuesday, June 27th, 2023 by 12pm”.

“Besides the cruise boat operations, the State Ministry of Transport is to immediately cross-check the safety standards and conditions of all boats operating in the Calabar waterways,” the statement added.

The governor further asked that the police speed up investigation of the boat accident and prosecute those found culpable to serve as deterrence to others.

He sympathised with the families of the affected students over the unfortunate incident.