JUST IN: 21 drown as two boats collide, capsize on lagoon

No fewer than 21 passengers are feared drowned in a boat accident that occurred on Monday at Imore town in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.

The tragic incident occurred when two boats, ferrying 16 passengers each, collided and capsized in the middle of the lagoon.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident in a press release on Tuesday.

He said that the incident was reported to the Ilashe police division at about 7 pm on Monday.

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The PPRO said emergency responders, including marine police and local divers, who were swiftly mobilised to the scene, succeeded in rescuing 11 passengers who sustained injuries.

Hundeyin added that the injured were rushed to the Naval Hospital in Navy Town, Alakija, for medical attention.

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.

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“Based on the report, teams of conventional and marine policemen, local divers, and other emergency responders were swiftly mobilised to the scene, where 11 passengers were rescued with injuries and rushed to the Naval Hospital in Navy Town, Alakija, for medical attention.”

Meanwhile, other passengers still remain unaccounted for.

But the police confirmed that efforts to recover their bodies are currently underway.