Six passengers were rescued through a combined effort by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA).
Five passengers aboard the ill-fated boat were still missing as at the time of filing the report. Rescue officials who identified the survivors as Samuel Ochima, Joseph Essien, Mane Temisan, Etukufor Geoffrey and Daniel Peter said they are currently receiving treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital(LASUTH), while corpses of the deceased have been deposited in the mortuary.
We gathered that two children were among the dead while two other children survived. The boat capsized precisely at Sixth Avenue, opposite 41 Road junction, Festac at about 9 PM Tuesday.
Eyewitness said that a woman who was initially rescued by LASEMA died on the way to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). We gathered that the incidence brought local divers, officials from the police, fire service, navy,National Inland Waterways (NIWA), Marine Police together for the operation.
General Manager, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu said the passengers were not putting on live jackets as at the time the tragedy occurred.
“ Our people need to be safety conscious. Those using ferry should have life buoy. When the incidence occurred, we immediately activated our emergency response system by mobilizing people for the rescue operation.”
NEMA’s spokesperson, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye confirmed that 13 people died in the incident while five others were rescued. He said local divers are still searching for the missing persons adding that the deceased include 12 men, a woman and a child.
Also speaking, Chairman of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government, Mr. Ayodele Adewale said four of the survivors swam ashore including a woman who died aboard Lagos Ambulance Service(LASAMBUS) on the way to the hospital.
