LASWA confirms that there’s no boat Mishap on Sallah Day

Lagos State Waterways Authority LASWA, Friday, said that the state did not record incidents of boat mishap, throughout the Sallah celebrations.

LASWA General Manager Oluwadamilola Emmanuel in a statement said the most recent boat mishap in the state occurred on Wednesday night, in Apapa enroute Badagry, where five people were rescued, 10 confirmed dead and four were missing.

He confirmed that an open boat carrying 19 passengers capsized at about 6.00pm enroute Badagry from Kirikiri.

The General Manager gave a survivour’s account, that the boat captain got distracted while trying to collect fares from a passenger and the boat was overturned by the current just as some of the passengers were yet to put on their lifejackets properly. He said: “rescue effort was immediate as the boat was just a few meters from the landing but only five people were rescued.”

Also, he said a total of 19 passengers were involved in the incident out of which five were rescued, 10 confirmed dead and four missing including the boat deckhand, “LASWA has apprehended the boat captain and has handed him over to marine police for further investigation and sanctions. The Emergency and Regulatory Authorities are still on a search and rescue operation,” he added