Boat mishap: LASWA hands over captain, passengers to police

The ten passengers who were rescued on Tuesday on board a boat, which capsized off Ikorodu waterways and the captain of the boat have been handed over to the Marine Police for further investigation and prosecution.

A passenger boat, which took off from Lagos Island and was heading to Ikorodu had capsized on Tuesday evening and it took the timely intervention of rescuers to save all ten passengers and the captain.

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General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Oluwadamilola Emmanuel who made the disclosure yesterday said both the captain and passengers have been handed over to marine police for further investigations and sanctions for violating the rule against night travel.

He said: “On July 28, distress calls were received from the State Emergency number at about 7.30 pm. It was reported that a boat had capsized at about 7.24 pm while en route Ikoyi from Illashe.

“The boat appeared to have collided with an unidentified object. A total of 10 persons (nine adult males and a female) were involved in the incident and were rescued from the water alive by marine police during their patrol, as the first responders.

“The Emergency and Regulatory Authorities carried out initial investigations and have handed over the boat captain and passengers to marine police headquarters for further investigation and sanctions.”

He said that another boat with seven passengers was also found to be in distress and was rescued.

LASWA, on June 18, had celebrated zero records of boat mishap in the last six months in the state waterways.

Barely a week after, on June 23, a local boat with four adult males on a boating expedition capsized due to water turbulence; three of the passengers were rescued, while one was missing.

Also on July 3, a 20-capacity passenger boat with the name “Lalek Marine” was suspected to have left Ebute Ero Jetty around 8.00 p.m. after the approved sailing time of 6.00 p.m. and didn’t arrive at its destination, which was Ikorodu Terminal.

There were 21 people in the ill-fated ferry; 14 of them were rescued while seven died.