22 passengers escape death as boat capsizes in Lagos

About 22 passengers on board a commercial boat en route to Badagry, Lagos State, were rescued on Friday after it capsized around Falomo area of the state.

It was learnt that a group of people chartered the 50-passenger boat which capsized shortly after it left the Five Cowries Terminal in Falomo, Ikoyi, controlled by the Lagos State Waterways Authority.

A LASWA official, who confirmed the incident, had earlier told our Saturday PUNCH that all the five passengers on board were rescued.

The official had said, “No Cause for Alarm! The boat was going to Badagry but unfortunately stopped five minutes after casting out of Five Cowries Terminal. All passengers have been successfully rescued while the boat moved to safer harbour till the heavy rain stopped and will be taken to dry dock for technical assessment.”

The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who also confirmed the boat mishap, told our correspondent that 22 passengers were on board.

He said, “The incident happened at 2.46pm around Falomo and all the passengers were safe; no casualty. It was a 50-passenger boat on charter but had about 22 passengers on board.”