Tragedy struck as a passenger boat capsized along Ibeshe-Ikorodu channel with three persons, two males and a female recovered dead, while 11 others were rescued alive.
The unfortunate incident, according to eyewitnesses occurred at about 7.30 pm on Monday, February 26, 2024, after the boat suddenly developed a mechanical fault.
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, confirmed the incident.
According to Oke-Osanyitolu, “The agency responded to distress calls concerning a Passenger Boat which took off from Addax Jetty around 7pm.
“On arrival, it was discovered that passenger ferry boat named Oluwaseyifunmi carrying 14 people had capsized due to a suspected mechanical fault and was rapidly submerged following its departure from the aforementioned terminal.
“A combined team of Water guards, the search and rescue team of the Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA, and agency responders were mobilized to the scene of the incident, leading to the rescue of 11 persons alive who have been taken to Ibeshe Ferry Terminal for treatment.
“Three passengers were retrieved dead and Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SEHMU has been tasked with transferring their bodies to state mortuary,” Oke-Osanyitolu affirmed.
This comes barely five days after One person was confirmed dead in a boat accident that occurred in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
The person died after the ferry which had 17 passengers on board collided with a submerged shoreline concrete at a construction site around the power line corridor at the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Waterways Authority, Wuraola Alake confirmed the incident.
The statement read, “At about 6.50pm today Wednesday 21, 2024, an Ibeshe bound passenger ferry named T-Ben, having departed from Addax jetty, had a collision with a submerged shoreline concrete at a construction site around the power line corridor at the Lekki Ikoyi Link Bridge.
“15 out of the 17 passengers said to be on board this boat have been rescued with one casualty confirmed, while rescue effort is still ongoing as at the time of issuing this statement.”
Alake further disclosed that officers from the Search and Rescue Unit of the agency and other volunteers were still carrying out further rescue operations.
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