One dies, 27 rescued as boat capsizes in Lagos

‎One person was feared dead on Wednesday while 27 others were rescued when a 30-seat capacity commercial boat capsized some metres away from the jetty where it took off in Ikorodu.

The boat marked HMS 1 had 27 passengers and one crewmember on board. It was learnt that the boat capsized at about 9.55am on the waterways near Ebutte, Ikorodu, shortly after setting sail.

According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the boat, which set sail from Ikorodu en route Victoria Island, was over loaded. It alleged that instead of 21 passengers, 28 were being conveyed.

Emergency responders such as the Lagos State Water Ways Authority, Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority, LASEMA Emergency Response Team, LASAMBUS, Nigeria Police, which responded promptly to the incident, had hectic time rescue the victims.

Michael Akindele, general manager, LASEMA, advised boat operators to avoid over speeding and to always comply with safety regulations on the waterways to avoid loss of lives, saying proper investigation would be conducted on the incident.