Published
14 seconds ago
on
27 February 2024
By
Richard Ogunsile
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Tragedy struck late Monday evening as a passenger boat overturned along the Ibeshe-Ikorodu channel in Lagos, resulting in the loss of three lives. The incident occurred around 7:30 pm when the boat experienced a sudden mechanical malfunction. Of the 14 people on board, three individuals—two males and one female—were found lifeless, while 11 others were successfully rescued.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) responded to distress calls and, upon arrival, discovered that the passenger ferry boat named Oluwaseyifunmi had capsized due to a suspected mechanical fault. The boat quickly submerged after departing from the Addax Jetty terminal.
A coordinated effort involving Water guards, the search and rescue team of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), and LASEMA responders led to the rescue of 11 individuals who were alive. They were taken to the Ibeshe Ferry Terminal for treatment. The bodies of the three deceased passengers were retrieved, and the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) was tasked with transferring them to the state mortuary.
The incident underscores the importance of addressing safety and maintenance issues in water transportation to prevent such tragic events.