8 Feared Drowned As Boat Capsizes In Lagos

At least eight persons were feared
drowned, yesterday, after a
commercial boat capsized around
Apapa area of Lagos State. The incident happened when the engine
boat conveying passengers, majority of
whom were traders, was reportedly
coming from Sagbokoji Village. Lagos State Police Command said only
two persons were suspected to have
drowned in the boat mishap, while
seven persons were rescued. The commercial boat, conveying about
19 passengers, left the village at
7.30a.m., heading towards Lagoon area
of Apapa. It was learnt that midway into the
journey, the boat reportedly developed
a fault, but the operators assured the
passengers they would fix it. After the operators tried their hands on
what they thought could have been the
fault but were unable to fix it,
passengers began to panic. Some of
the passengers who could swim,
reportedly plunged into the river before the boat reportedly capsized at about
8a.m. Eyewitnesses said about nine of the
passengers were rescued by fishermen
around and conveyed to their
destinations. Identities of some of those suspected
to have drowned were given as Toume,
Fajuwa and Tomiwa. Confirming the incident, Lagos State
Deputy Police Public Relations Officer,
Mr. Damasus Ozoani, stated that
information at his disposal had it that
two persons were suspected drowned. He said rescue operation by operatives
of the Marine Police was still on. But as
at 4.30 p.m. yesterday, bodies of some
of the victims were yet to be
recovered.