Boatload of passengers missing, 2 bodies recovered in ill-fated night row in Lagos

Emergency responders have recovered the bodies of a 52-year-old male and a 20-year-old female believed to be victims of a boat accident in Lagos.

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the Zonal Coordinator (South-West), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

Farinloye said a W19 passenger Fibre boat carrying 16 people capsized along the Ojo area of the state.

He said that the boat, which took off from Mile 2 to Ibeshe in Ojo axis, capsized while operating at night against the rules of the inland waterways.

Farinloye said that the incident happened at about 7.45pm on Friday.

“It was found out that the tide of the water drifted the boat to a stationary barge which caused it to overturn.

“Marine Police, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and volunteers swung into action in trying to rescue some of the victims, but to no avail.

“It cannot be confirmed if all the passengers including the captain were wearing life jackets but some people claimed some of them were wearing their life jackets which may not be effective.

“Recovery operations are still ongoing,” Farinloye said.