By Seyi Babalola
A medium sized W-19 fiber boat, carrying 16 passengers capsized on Ojo waterways in Lagos on Friday night killing all passengers on board.
The passengers including the boat captain were said not to have their life jackets on as at the time of the accident.
Sources confirmed that four bodies have been recovered from the spot of the incident, while efforts are ongoing by the Search and Rescue team of both the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and the Lagos State waterways Authority (LASWA), to recover the remaining bodies.
In a statement jointly signed on Saturday by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Sarat Braimah, and General Manager of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Damilola Emmanuel, the boat flouted the no night travel ban on Lagos waterways regulation by setting sail at 7:45 pm, which falls after the 7 am to 7 pm operational time for ferries in Lagos.
According to the statement, “At about 7.45 pm on Friday, the 8th of July 2022, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) received a distress call of an incident on the waterways.
“A W-19 passenger Fibre boat carrying 16 people 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 7.45 pm. As the boat 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 including children were not all putting on their life jackets.
“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.”
NIWA said four bodies have so far been recovered.
“Search and rescue is currently ongoing and I can tell you that four bodies have been recovered. We will update the public on further happening,” NIWA said.