CITIZENS COMPASS —No fewer than 11 passengers were rescued while three bodies were recovered on Monday in Lagos State, after a boat conveying boat passengers capsised.
The boat with the branded name, Oluwaseyifunmi, was said to have capsosed at about 7.17 p. m. along the Ibeshe/Ikorodu channel en route Ebute, Ipakodo-Ikorodu.
The Lagos State Waterways (LASWA), confirmed the incident in its updates.
According to LASWA spokesperson, Wuraola Alake, the Agency received a distress call at about 7.17 p. m.
“At about 7.17 p. m. yesterday, the 26th of February 2024, LASWA got a distress call that a 17 seater boat named Oluwaseyifunmi, loaded with 14 passengers, was involved in an accident along the Ibeshe/Ikorodu channel en route Ebute ipakodo ikorodu taken off from Addax jetty, Lagos.
“It was gathered that the capsised boat and another passenger boat (yet to be identified) were engaging in a speeding contest causing strong waves that capsised one of the boats while the other boat ran to Ibeshe jetty to call for help.
“Local operators from Ibeshe jetty were the first responders; the LASWA team joined immediately after in the rescue operations in which 11 passengers were rescued with three casualties.
“No Manifest was filled at the Addax Jetty before passengers boarded the boat but 9 out of the 11 rescued passengers later filled the manifest at the Ibeshe ferry terminal after they had been rescued while other 2 passengers refused to put down their details.
“LASWA and other first responders were able to rescue 11 alive while the 3 casualties were recovered and handed over to the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority LASEMA and the State Environmental Health Management Unit SEHMU.”
In another update, she said, “The exact cause of this incident is still being investigated, as some of the rescued passengers denied the claim that the affected boats were engaged in boat racing.
“The passengers at the Addax Jetty filled out no manifest before passengers boarded the boat, but nine out of the 11 rescued passengers later filled out the manifest at the Ibeshe ferry terminal after LASWA and other first responders had rescued them. At the same time, the other two passengers refused to put down their details.
“Eleven passengers were confirmed to be alive, while the recovered casualties have been handed over to the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority LASEMA and the State Environmental Health Management Unit SEHMU.”
