Lagos Boat Mishap: Seven dead, four rescued, many missing

A boat conveying 17 passengers from Ijede to Badore in Lekki area of Lagos State capsized, yesterday, killing seven persons. The tragedy occurred at about 10.20 am shortly after the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in the state. Confirming the incident, General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA, Mr. Micheal Akindele, said there was joint rescue operations carried out by the agency and Lagos State Waterways Authority, Marine Police, National Inland Water Ways Authority, Lagos State Fire Service and local divers following a distress call.

 According to Akindele, preliminary investigation revealed that the boat, belonging to Aki Marine, a private operator, had 17 passengers and two crew members on board. The boat was said to have collided at a dredging point on the way to Ijede. At press time, seven passengers were confirmed dead, while four were rescued including crew members and were rushed to Ijede General Hospital for treatment.

 “Though, we are still expecting the boat manifest, rescue operation is ongoing while further investigation would be carried out by the appropriate agencies to ascertain the actual cause of the accident,” Akindele stated. It will be recalled that a similar incident occurred two weeks ago when two commercial boats collided along the same route due to poor visibility.