Five persons have been confirmed dead and many others hospitalised after a passenger boat capsized at Bayeku, Igbogbo, Ikorodu area of Lagos State, Punch reports.
Based on what was gathered, the incident happened about 12 noon on Saturday while the boat was coming from the Oke Ira Nla jetty, Ajah in the Eti-Osa area of the state.
It was also learnt that the boat was not in good condition and the captain was on top speed when the boat developed a fault in its steering around the Igbogbo Bayeku, Ikorodu waterways.
It was said to have capsized, killing the victims.
An official of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency said 22 people, which included the captain and his assistant, were on board the ill-fated boat.
He said 15 people were initially rescued by local fishermen who took them to a hospital, before the remaining seven were recovered and admitted at the Ikorodu General Hospital.
While one died from the 15, four of the seven later rescued died afterwards, bringing the casualty figure to five.
He said, “The ferry was conveying 20 passengers and two crew members – the captain and his assistant — along the Ikorodu waterways.
“But when it got to Bayeku, the boat overturned. The Lagos State Command and Control Centre got a distress call at about 1.29pm, though the incident happened around 12 noon.”
It was learnt that the rescue was carried out by the local fishermen together with officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, and the Lagos State Inland Waterways Authority.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Joe Offor, said he would get back to our correspondent, but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
It was learnt that of the remaining three survivors out of the seven, two had been discharged while one, whose condition was critical, was still receiving treatment.
The General Manager of LASEMA, Michael Akindele, who confirmed the incident to SUNDAY PUNCH said the captain of the boat had been arrested and handed over to policemen from the Marine Police Division at Ikoyi.
He said the agency discovered that aside that the boat was faulty, the captain was inexperienced.
He said, “Investigations revealed that the boat was not in a good condition and the captain, who was said to be inexperienced, was on top speed when the boat developed some faults in its steering and thereafter capsized.
“The boat, being an enclosed one, further exacerbated the chances of survivors. The captain has since been arrested and is being questioned by the police.”