No fewer than six passengers have been confirmed dead and four rescued following a boat accident that occurred along the Nigerdock axis of the Igbologun Water Channel in Lagos.
Announcing this in a statement on Wednesday, jointly signed by the Head of the Public Affairs Unit at the Lagos State Waterways Authority, Wuraola Alake, and the Head of the Corporate Affairs Unit at the Lagos Area Office of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Omowunmi Yussuff, the agencies explained that the boat accident, involving a savvy marine passenger boat, occurred on Tuesday at approximately 8:35 p.m. along the Nigerdock axis of the Igbologun Water Channel.
According to the waterways authorities, the boat was en route from the Ilashe Beach House at the time of the incident.
The agencies emphasised that upon receiving a distress alert, they immediately activated their search and rescue teams, which responded promptly and worked closely in collaboration with the Marine Police and other first responders.
As of the time of this report, four passengers have been successfully rescued and transported to a nearby hospital, where they are currently receiving medical attention. Sadly, six other passengers were found dead at the scene. Search and rescue operations remain ongoing to account for all persons involved,” the statement read in part.
The statement further emphasised that preliminary findings indicated the incident may have been caused by a collision with a submerged object.
It added that further investigations are still ongoing to fully ascertain the cause of the mishap.
LASWA and NIWA wish to assure the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted, and further updates will be communicated as more information becomes available. LASWA and NIWA extend their deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and assure the public of their continued commitment to ensuring safety on Lagos’ inland waterways,” the statement added.
The authorities also reiterated the importance of adherence to all safety regulations, including proper navigation practices and compliance with the night travel rule.
They advised members of the public to remain calm and rely only on verified information from LASWA/NIWA and other official sources.
Earlier, in December, NIWA and LASWA launched a festive-season safety campaign to protect travellers during heavy travel periods, especially in December when water traffic surges.
The campaign stresses strict adherence to safety rules such as the use of life jackets, maintaining passenger manifests, avoiding night trips, and conducting routine vessel checks before departure.
Joint search and rescue teams and intensified patrols are also part of these strategies to deter unsafe practices and enhance surveillance across key waterways.
Source: punch
