The Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday said three bodies had been recovered following the boat accident which occurred on Monday at Imore town in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of the state.
PUNCH Metro reported that a boat with the inscription, “Only God 13”, travelling from Ebutte Ero to Badagry with 15 passengers collided with a wooden boat carrying 10 passengers from Alakija to Imore.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Waterways Authority, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, in a statement on Tuesday, stated that all the 15 passengers on board the “Only God 13” boat were rescued while five passengers from the wooden boat sustained injuries.
He, however, stated that efforts were underway to locate the whereabouts of five other passengers.
While providing an update on the incident, on Wednesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed that emergency responders combing the lagoon recovered three bodies.
“Three bodies recovered today. Rescue operation is still ongoing,” he noted in a terse statement sent to PUNCH Metro.
LASWA boss had on Monday stated that the agency and the National Inland Waterways Agency convened an emergency meeting with the Imore community chiefs and the State Marine Officer to coordinate rescue operations and support affected families.
Meanwhile, the National Inland Waterways Authority said the manager of the “Only God 13” ferry had been arrested.
The agency in a statement on Tuesday said the ferry fibre boat veered off its channel and collided with the wooden boat due to the obstructed vision of its captain, largely attributed to the load onboard.
The ferry company was also alleged not to have adhered to operational safety standards and improper navigation procedures.
“As a result of these findings, NIWA has taken decisive action by arresting the manager of Only God Ferry for negligence and failure to comply with safety regulations as stipulated by the authority. The arrest is aimed at ensuring accountability and setting a precedent for strict adherence to waterways regulations to prevent future occurrences,” the statement added.
NIWA added that further legal actions were underway as investigations continued until the management of “Only God Marine” produced the captain of the boat to determine if additional charges would be filed.
