Lagos boat capsizes at Ojo, all passengers on board missing

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A capsized boat

Barely three days after the unfortunate boat accident around the Ikorodu area of Lagos State leading to the death of two passengers, another boat accident occurred on Friday night around the Mile 2 area.

Mrs Sarat Braimah, Lagos Area Manager, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday.

Braimah said that 16 passengers on board the ill-fated boat were yet to be accounted for.
Her statement said, “at about 7.45 p.m., on July 8, the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, and Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA, received a distress call of an incident on the waterways.

According to the media statement, “a W19 passenger Fibre boat carrying 16 people capsized along the Ojo area of the state. The boat going from Mile 2 to Ibeshe in Ojo axis broke the waterways rules of late travelling by setting sail at 7.45 p.m.,” she said.

Braimah said that the tide of the water drifted the boat to a stationary barge which caused it to overturn.

“It is said that all passengers on board including children were not all putting on their life jackets.

“The search and rescue team of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), National Inland Waterways (NIWA) were immediately mobilized to the scene of the incident but unfortunately could only find the boat after several hours. Efforts are still ongoing to locate the victims”.

The statement added that “the boat captain is also unaccounted for as at the time of this media release earlier today.
Braimah noted that the boat was currently in the custody of Marine Police.

PREVIOUS FATAL ACCIDENT

Recalled that on Wednesday, 6th July 2022, two female passengers died when a 20-seater boat which departed Ipakodo ferry terminal in Ikorodu capsized.

The General Manager of Lagos State Waterways Authority, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, who made this known in a statement, said the boat capsized almost immediately after take-off.

He said 15 occupants of the capsized boat were rescued alive.

The statement reads, “at about 7.45am today (Wednesday), the 6th of July 2022, a 20 passenger ferry boat carrying 17 passengers named “R & N 2” suddenly capsized not more than 200 meters from the terminal and submerged immediately after it departed the Ipakodo ferry terminal in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

The Water guards and the search and rescue team of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) were mobilized to the scene of the incident, leading to the rescue of 15 persons alive.

“While two female unconscious passengers were rushed to the nearest hospital for treatment. They were, however, later confirmed dead at the hospital.

“The Boat Captain is currently being investigated by the relevant authorities while full investigation into the cause of this mishap is ongoing as of the time of this press release.”

(NAN)