3 casualties as Lagos boat capsizes

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) says a boat mishap in Ikorodu, Lagos State, on Monday night, resulted in three casualties.

Eleven others involved in the accident were rescued, according to the agency.

Mrs Wuraola Alake, Head, Public Affairs Unit, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) said these on Tuesday in Lagos.

“At about 7.17 p.m. on Feb. 26, LASWA got a distress call that a 17 seater boat named Oluwaseyifunmi, loaded with 14 passengers, was involved in an accident.

“The accident occured 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 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,” she said.

Alake said that no manifest was filled at the Addax Jetty before passengers boarded the boat.

She said that nine of the 11 rescued passengers, however, later filled the manifest at the Ibeshe ferry terminal after they had been rescued.

“Two other 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),” she said.