- Adanma Luke claimed that Junior Pope and one other person was provided with a life jacket but rejected it because it was dirty.
- According to her, those other ones with life jackets survived the boat mishap.
- The boat accident took the life of Junior Pope, alongside four other persons
In the wake of the tragic boat accident on the Anam River in Anambra State, film producer Adanma Luke has faced intense scrutiny.
The incident, which resulted in the loss of actor Junior Pope and three others, has cast a somber shadow over the movie industry.
The group was returning from filming Adanma Luke’s latest project, “The Other Side Of Life,” when their journey took a fatal turn.
Adanma Luke, who had remained silent since the tragedy, recently opened up about the circumstances surrounding the accident.
In a heartfelt video message, she addressed the safety measures that were in place, revealing an emotional detail about the late Junior Pope’s final moments.
According to Adanma Luke, safety precautions included the provision of life jackets for the crew was made available.
She recounted that while her director and the director of photography were both wearing life jackets, an additional one was available. This life jacket, however, was declined by Junior Pope due to its unclean condition.
The producer’s manager disclosed that several life jackets were spotted hanging at the location, which they promptly utilized. He recalled urging Friday, who also died in the accident, to offer the spare life jacket to Junior Pope but he rejected it, with the excuse that it was dirty.
Adanma Luke shared a harrowing account from the survivors, who described a desperate struggle for survival in the water, Junior Pope was among them, initially seen checking on the well-being of others and clinging to a gallon thrown to him as a makeshift flotation device. Tragically, he disappeared from sight shortly after, and it was only upon reaching safety that the survivors realized he was missing.
In her words:
“My director was on life jacket, Emeka the DOP was also on life jacket. There was still one life jacket available, I don’t know who took it.
“My producer manager said they saw life jackets hanging and they took them. He said he even asked the late Friday to take one to Junior Pope but Junior Pope said it was dirty so he didn’t take it.
“Those with life jackets survived the boat mishap. And they also told me that when they were in the water trying to survive, Junior Pope was also there asking, ‘Is everybody okay? Hope everybody is fine?’ They said they even threw a gallon to him to use and hold himself which he was holding but all of a sudden they didn’t see him again.
“It was when they came out that they noticed that he was no longer there. They said divers came and reduced some of them while other divers were still there trying to rescue others.
“I said what could have caused this accident? They said they don’t know but TC was standing on the speed boat rigging bell.”