A 20-passenger boat has capsized in the Ibeshe/Ikorodu area of Lagos state. Wuraola Alake, head of the public affairs unit at the Lagos State Waterways Authority, confirmed the unfortunate event, stating that it occurred at approximately 7:17 pm on Monday.
The ill-fated boat, named Oluwaseyifunmi, departed from the Addax jetty with 14 passengers on board. Alake’s statement elucidated the grim details, specifying the time, route, and passenger count of the vessel.
The swift response of local boat operators from Ibeshe jetty, followed by LASWA’s intervention, facilitated the rescue operation. Despite their efforts, the toll was grim, with three passengers losing their lives, while 11 were successfully rescued. All survivors were promptly transported to the Ibeshe terminal.
Additionally, authorities promptly alerted the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) and the State Environmental Health Management Unit (SEHMU) to the incident. As the search and rescue mission continues, the community remains on edge following this harrowing maritime mishap.
This tragedy comes on the heels of another maritime accident on February 21, when an Ibeshe-bound passenger ferry collided with submerged shoreline concrete near the Lekki Ikoyi Link Bridge construction site. Although 15 of the 17 passengers were rescued, one casualty was confirmed, highlighting the precarious nature of waterway transportation in the region.
“At about 7.17 pm today, the 26th of February 2024, a 20-passenger capacity 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,” the statement reads.
“Local boat operators from Ibeshe jetty were the first responders; the LASWA team joined immediately in the rescue operations in which 11 passengers were rescued with three casualties.
“LASWA and other first responders took all the rescued passengers to the Ibeshe terminal.
“At the same time, the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority LASEMA and the State Environmental Health Management Unit SEHMU were alerted about the incident.”
