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Tragedy this evening struck in Lagos as a passenger boat capzised, leaving one dead and 16 rescued.
Although, nobody could ascertain the exact number of the passengers in the ill-fated boat, the National Inland Waterways Authority, said 17 passengers were in the boat. The agency also confirmed that 16 of the passengers were rescued while only one was confirmed dead.
The Story gathetered that the boat hit a rock while sailing close to the edge of the waterway when it capzised.
As at the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Lagos State Waterway Authority, LASWA were yet to confirm the tragedy.
It was also learnt that the combined efforts and immediate mobilization to the site of incident by National Inland Waterways Authority Search and Rescue Team, LASWA, Marine Police, Fishermen and other boat operators led to the successful rescue of sixteen (16) passengers.
But confirming the incident, NIWA and and the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, said the rescued had been takng care of by the relevant agencies.
NIWA, in a statement by the Lagos Area Manager, Sarat Braimah, an engineer, said that the boat departed CMS Ferry Terminal at 1635hrs and was heading to Ikorodu Ferry Terminal when it was involved in the accident about 15 minutes later.
Braimah said: “A seventeen (17) passenger boat named “TEMI 3 Global” which departed CMS Ferry Terminal at 1635hrs in route Ikorodu Ferry Terminal on 27th September, 2021 was involved in an accident.
“Fifteen minutes into the journey near Adekunle Waterfront, the boat hit an underwater obstacle which broke the hull of the boat and this resulted to the capsize of the boat.
“There were immediate mobilization to the site of incident by National Inland Waterways Authority Search and Rescue Team, LASWA, Marine Police, Fishermen and other boat operators leading to the rescue of sixteen (16) persons alive while one person died while on the way to the hospital.
“We sincerely condole with the family of the deceased and pray for the soul of the dead to rest in perfect peace.”
On his part, the NEMA spokesperson, Ibrahim Farinloye, said that the boat hit a rock while sailing close to the edge of the water way before it capzised.
