At least six passengers have been confirmed dead, while four others have been rescued following a boat accident along the Nigerdock axis of the Igbologun water channel in Lagos.
The incident occurred late Tuesday evening at about 8:35 p.m. and involved a Savvy Marine passenger boat. As of the time of reporting, search and rescue efforts were still underway to locate other possible victims.
The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) confirmed the mishap in a joint statement signed by NIWA’s Head of Public Affairs Unit, Wuraola Alake, and LASWA’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Omowunmi Yussuff.
The authorities stated that the boat was traveling from Ilashe Beach House when the accident happened. They added that immediately after receiving a distress call, both agencies deployed their Search and Rescue (SAR) teams, which swiftly responded and coordinated efforts with the Marine Police and other emergency 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 recovered dead at the scene while Search and rescue operations remain ongoing to account for all persons involve,” NIWA/ LASWA stated.
Preliminary findings as of press time indicated that while the incident may have been caused by a collision with a submerged object; further investigations were still ongoing to fully ascertain the cause of the mishap.
The authorities assured the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted, and further updates would be communicated as more information becomes available.
