One of the three top scorers of Prosperity Cup, a grassroots football tournament being organized by the Government of Bayelsa State, Ernest Peremobowei, has reportedly died while trying to rescue victims of a boat mishap in Bebelebiri Community of Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

It was learnt that Peremobowei, one of the three joint top scorers in the just concluded Prosperity Cup,died while returning home in a canoe shortly after taking his wife and three children to higher ground to escape the raging flood.

According to an eyewitness account, the canoe which was conveying him and six other persons from the Federal Medical Center waterfront capsized because it could not withstand the current of the raging flood.

Confirming the incident, the coach of Bebelebiri FC which he played for during the last edition of the competition, Kenneth Dreams, said that the popular footballer died in the process of rescuing other occupants of the canoe.

He said: “He took his family to an IDP camp because the flood had taken over his house. So, while returning home, he boarded a canoe with six others when the current of the raging flood capsized the boat.

“We heard that he was able to save four persons who were involved in the boat mishap before drowning at the end. He was a great player during the tournament but we have no other choice but to accept the loss,” he added.(Courtesy, excluding headline, Nigerian Tribune)