3 Drown, 7 Rescued As Boat Capsizes In Lagos

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Friday, January 24th, 2014

Ayo Balogun, Lagos

Three people are reportedly drowned and seven others rescued when a local passenger boat capsized at Apapa area of Lagos, Nigeria.

The local boat was said to be conveying passengers from Irewe area, near Ijegun in the Satellite Town to Ojo area of Lagos when the incident occurred around 12.05am on Friday, with seven of the passengers rescued and three people still declared missing over 20 hours after the accident. It is feared that they may be dead by now.

Local divers, team of Navy Special Boat Service, police, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) were involved in the rescue operation.

It was not clear what led to the accident, but NEMA said the small boat with a headlight collided with a bigger boat and immediately capsized.

Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA General Manager told African Examiner that seven people were rescued and declared three still missing.

Accordin to him, “a local passenger boat with 10 people on it capsized. It was going from Coconut jetty in Apapa to Ojo Town, it capsized behind Navy Town. Seven persons were rescued while three are missing.

“The boat’s take-off point was Irewe near Ijegun in Satellite town. The incident occurred last night (12.05 am).”

Oke-Osanyintolu said as at the time of the incident, the passengers were not wearing live jacket or have life buoy in the boat, lamenting that local boat operators were fond of not putting on live jacket while travelling on water.

“For your information, we appeal to the local canoe users to always use life jacket or life buoy while traveling on water,” he advised.

NEMA’s spokesman, Ibrahim Farinloye also confirmed seven rescued and three missing, saying that one of those missing was one Raheem Taiwo Ishola.

“Boat was coming from Coconut area to Ojo before the accident occurred in the night. We are still looking for the three missing bodies. A team of Navy Special Boat Service, NEMA and police, Disaster Unit are continuing in the search,” said Farinloye.