Another boat accident occurred Friday night around Mile 2 area of Lagos, barely three days after the Ikorodu area incident that claimed two passengers.
Mrs Sarat Braimah, Lagos Area Manager, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), who confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday, said that 16 passengers onboard the ill-fated boat were missing.
“At about 7.45 p.m., on July 8, the National Inland Waterways Authority and Lagos State Waterways Authority received a distress call of an incident on the waterways.
“A W19 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 7.45pm,” she said.
Braimah said that the tide of the water drifted the boat to a stationary barge which caused it to overturn.
“It is said that all passengers on board which includes 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) were immediately mobilised to the scene of the incident but unfortunately could only find the boat after several hours.
“Efforts are still ongoing to locate the victims.
“The Boat Captain is also unaccounted for as at the time of this press release,” she said.
Braimah noted that the boat was currently in the custody of Marine Police.
