Two feared dead as boat capsizes in Lagos

Two people are feared dead yesterday, when a boat capsized in Badagry, Lagos State. The tragedy came barely one week after a boat capsized in Ijede, Ikorodu where seven deaths were recorded and ten passengers rescued.



Although the time of the incident could not be ascertained, it was gathered that the fibre boat took off from Idagba enroute Iworo with ten passengers on board and had successfully landed and dropped all the passengers at Iworo. However, the boat took off with another eight passengers and two officials when the boat capsized after it hit a log.

Search and rescue operation was immediately launched by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, and National Emergency Management Authority, NEMA. Those missing, as gathered, were the boat operator and a woman.

Confirming the incident, NEMA South- West Information Officer, Ibrahim Farinloye, said eight people were rescued while only two were missing at the time of this report. LASEMA General Manager, Mr. Micheal Akindele, also confirmed the boat accident, saying the agency received a distress call at 10:47 am.

Giving a preliminary report of the accident, Akindele explained “The agency received an alert via the CRM at 10:47 am of a boat mishap at Iworo Ajido Aradagun, Badagry. This prompted the immediate activation of the Emergency Response Team, ERT, of the agency, and Lagos State Waterways Authority, Marine Police, National Inland Water Ways Authority, Lagos State Fire Service and the local divers following distress call. “Cause of the incident and the number of passengers on board at press time was yet to be ascertained. However four people were rescued and were treated by Lagos State Ambulances Services, LASAMBUS, and have since been discharged.”