Lagos boat capsizes, 12 rescued, 5 missing, 3 died

Tayo Oladipupo |

Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).

Twelve persons were rescued and three confirmed dead when a boat conveying 20 passengers capsized mid-sea in Lagos Wednesday evening.

This is contained in a press release made available to our correspondent by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of LASWA, Nkechi in Lagos, Thursday.

According to the statement, the General Manager of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr Damilola Emmanuel who confirmed the incident, said the agency at about 7:30pm received a distress call that a 20 capacity passenger boat with 18 passengers and two crew members had capsized mid-sea enroute Ojo from Coconut jetty, a suburb in Lagos.

He said an on-the-spot investigation carried out by LASWA revealed that the incident was caused by a collision between the passenger boat operated by “God Bless” and a wooden water supply service boat.

“Unfortunately three persons were confirmed dead and their bodies have been deposited in the morgue, while 12 persons were rescued alive and five persons are missing,” Emmanuel said.

He said rescue efforts were carried out by the combined efforts of the LASWA, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS), SEHMU which led to the timely rescue of 12 passengers, adding that recovery efforts will continue until those missing have been found.

The LASWA boss however advised that boat operators in the habit of flouting the order by the agency to desist from operating at night due to inherent dangers should have a rethink.

He also urged passengers to always ensure that they wear life jackets before embarking on any trip on the waterways and ensure they are worn properly to prevent loss of lives.

He said the State Government in conjunction with the Marine Police will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, adding that the operator of the boat would also be held accountable.