- Two boats, each ferrying 16 passengers, collided and capsized in the middle of the lagoon
No fewer than 21 passengers are feared drowned in a boat accident that occurred on Monday at Imore town in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that two boats, each ferrying 16 passengers, collided and capsized in the middle of the lagoon.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, while confirming the incident in a press release on Tuesday said the incident was reported to the Ilashe police division at about 7 pm.
According to him, emergency responders, including marine police and local divers, were swiftly mobilised to the scene and rescued 11 passengers who sustained injuries.
He added that the injured were rushed to the Naval Hospital in Navy Town, Alakija, for medical attention.
The statement read, “On October 7, 2024, at about 7 pm, a distress call was received at the Ilashe Division reporting that two unregistered passenger boats, each carrying 16 passengers, allegedly collided in the middle of the lagoon at Imore town. As a result, the boats capsized, and the passengers drowned along with their goods.
“Based on the report, teams of conventional and marine policemen, local divers, and other emergency responders were swiftly mobilised to the scene, where 11 passengers were rescued with injuries and rushed to the Naval Hospital in Navy Town, Alakija, for medical attention.”
Meanwhile efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining bodies.