In a tragic turn of events, a boat accident that occurred in Imore town in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State on Monday have resulted in the drowning of at least 21 passengers, leaving families and loved ones devastated.
The tragedy unfolded when two fully loaded boats, each carrying 16 passengers, collided in the middle of the lagoon, causing both boats to overturn and capsize in a terrifying chain of events.
Lagos State Police Command spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin revealed in a press release on Tuesday that the harrowing boat accident in Imore town was reported to the Ilashe police division at approximately 7 pm.
Hundeyin noted that the Lagos State Police swiftly deployed a team of emergency responders, including marine police and local divers, to the accident scene to provide lifesaving assistance to the victims.
The statement read, “On October 7, 2024, at about 7 pm, a distress call was received at the Ilashe Division reporting that two unregistered passenger boats, each carrying 16 passengers, allegedly collided in the middle of the lagoon at Imore town. As a result, the boats capsized, and the passengers drowned along with their goods.
“Based on the report, teams of conventional and marine policemen, local divers, and other emergency responders were swiftly mobilized to the scene, where 11 passengers were rescued with injuries and rushed to the Naval Hospital in Navy Town, Alakija, for medical attention.”
While the rescue of 11 survivors from the capsized boats was a moment of hope in an otherwise tragic incident, a number of passengers remain missing. Hundeyin confirmed that the authorities are currently conducting a search and recovery effort to locate the missing victims and provide closure to their families.
Meanwhile, a comprehensive investigation into the accident has been initiated, with the goal of uncovering the root cause of the collision and determining any contributing factors.
