Sallah Tragedy: 5 Drowned In Lagos As Boat Capsizes

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Sunday, September 27th, 2015

By Ayo Balogun

BALTIMORE, MD (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Five people have drowned and 17 others rescued as a Ferry boat conveying 22 people capsized at Ikorodu area of Lagos in a Sallah tragedy.

The ferry capsized at Bayeku, Igbogbo area of ikorodu Waterways, says the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).

According LASEMA, the distress call was relayed to the Lagos State Command and Control Centre at about 1.29pm on Saturday, while the incident occurred at about 12.00pm according to information made available to the Agency’s Emergency Response Team by the Head of Operations Lagos State Inland Water Ways Authority .

20 passengers were said to be on board and two crew members(the captain and his assistant) before the mishap.

General Manager, LASEMA, Michael Akindele confirmed that 15 passengers and 2 crew members were rescued by local fishermen around Bayeku Jetty, Igbogbo.

He disclosed that four of the people rescued were taken to” Micai Hospital at Bayeku Oduloye bus stop as three of them were presently responding to treatment while one had been confirmed dead.

Akindele further disclosed that seven others among the rescued passengers were taken to Ikorodu General Hospital where four were confirmed dead, as two others were treated and discharged and one presently receiving treatment and is in a critical condition.

In all, he said 17 people were rescued, which include two crew members and 15 passengers and five confirmed dead (four adult male and one female).

He said that the boat was not in a good condition while the Captain who was said to be inexperienced was over- speeding when the boat developed some fault in its steering and thereafter capsized.

Akindele added that the boat being an enclosed one further exacerbated the chances of survivors, while the captain of the boat had since been arrested and being questioned by Marine police from Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.