June 23, 2020
Barely a week Lagos State Government celebrated six months of accident free waterways, at least, one person have been reported to have gone missing after a local boat, sailing along Lekki shoreline, capsized earlier on Tuesday, though three other passengers on board of it were rescued after the mishap.
It was gathered that the boat, conveying four men who were on expedition, was upturned by forces from turbulence and that one of the its’ passengers got missing before rescue arrived.
The General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, confirmed that one search were ongoing for one of passengers of four of a boat that capsized on Lagos water and that three others were rescued short after report of the mishap got to the authority.
Through a statement released on Tuesday from LASWA after the incident, Emmanuel said that the authority received distressed calls from other boats’ operators who reported the mishap and need immediate need to rescue occupants of boat that capsized along Lekki shoreline.
He said: “At about 4.30pm on the 23rd of June 2020, A local boat with four (4) adult males on a boating expedition were inside a boat which capsized due to water turbulence.
“The quick collaborative effort of responders in the area were able to rescue 3 alive while one person is still missing.The rescued victims were provided with medical care and released.
Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, LASWA, Lagos State Material Testing Laboratory and Lagos State Building Control Agency were on ground alongside LRT responders at the incident scene.
“Rescue effort is still ongoing for the Missing person as it was discovered that all Occupants on board did not have lifejackets on.
“Marine police will carry out further investigation while Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and LASWA also continue the search for the missing person”.