Vincent Toritseju
According to the management of the Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA, the boat christened ‘Oluwaseyifunmi’ had taken off from the Addax jetty with another unidentified boat were said to have been engaged in speeding competition thereby causing strong waves that capsised one of the boats while the other boat ran to Ibeshe jetty to call for help.
In a statement signed by Wuraola Alake, Head of Public Relations Unit of LASWA said that LASWA and other first responders were able to rescue 11 alive while the 3 casualties were recovered and handed over to the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority LASEMA and the State Environmental Health Management Unit SEHMU.
Part of the statement reads: “At about 7.17 pm yesterday, the 26th of February 2024, LASWA got a distress call that a 17-seater boat named Oluwaseyifunmi, loaded with 14 passengers, was involved in an accident along the Ibeshe/Ikorodu channel en route Ebute Ipakodo Ikorodu taken off from Addax jetty, Lagos.
“It was gathered that the capsized boat and another passenger boat (yet to be identified) were engaging in speeding contest causing strong waves that capsized one of the boats while the other boat ran to Ibeshe jetty to call for help.
“Local operators from Ibeshe jetty were the first responders; the LASWA team joined immediately after in the rescue operations in which 11 passengers were rescued with three casualties.
“No Manifest was filled at the Addax Jetty before passengers boarded the boat but 9 out of the 11 rescued passengers later filled the manifest at the Ibeshe ferry terminal after they had been rescued while other 2 passengers refused to put down their details.
“LASWA and other first responders were able to rescue 11 alive while the 3 casualties were recovered and handed over to the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority LASEMA and the State Environmental Health Management Unit SEHMU.”
