Three days after a 20-passenger boat ferrying 17 persons capsized and two persons died, another passenger boat ferrying 16 persons on Friday capsized with all passenger onboard declared missing.
In a press statement by the General Manager, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) in Lagos, Sarat Braimah, she said the passeger boat was sailing from Mile 2 to Ibeshe, Ojo in Lagos state.
According to her, the boat broke the waterways rules of late travelling by setting sail at 7.45pm, saying the tide of the water drifted the boat to a stationary barge which caused the boat to overturn.
He said, “At about 7.45 today the 8th of July 2022, The National Inland Waterways Authority and Lagos State Waterways Authority received a distress call of an incident on the waterways.
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“A W19 passenger Fibre boat carrying 16 persons capsized along the Ojo area of the state. The Boat going from Mile 2 to Ibeshe in Ojo axis broke the waterways rules of late travelling by setting sail at 7.45pm.
“As he set out, the tide of the water drifted the boat to a stationary barge which caused the boat to overturn. It is said that all passengers on board which include children were not all putting on their life jackets.”
According to her, NIWA, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), mobilised to to scene of the incident.
“The Search and Rescue team of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), National Inland Waterways (NIWA) and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) were immediately mobilized to the scene of the incident but unfortunately could only find the boat after several hours while efforts are still ongoing to locate the victims.
“The Boat is currently in the custody of Marine Police. The Boat Captain is also unaccounted for as at the time of this press release.”
