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| Photo Credit: Vanguard |
A total of 24
passengers on Friday survived a boat accident involving two boats that collided
at about 7: 45 pm in Ojo area of Lagos State.
passengers on Friday survived a boat accident involving two boats that collided
at about 7: 45 pm in Ojo area of Lagos State.
Managing
Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Damilola Emmanuel, who
confirmed the incident, said one of the boats was driving at full capacity with
22 passengers, while the other had just the boat captain and deckhand on board.
Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Damilola Emmanuel, who
confirmed the incident, said one of the boats was driving at full capacity with
22 passengers, while the other had just the boat captain and deckhand on board.
He said that
immediately the incident occurred, the patrol team at the Ojo Terminal was able
to move swiftly to rescue the situation. “One boat was going from Liverpool to
Ojo while the other was doing a return trip from same location. LASWA response
team were able to rescue all passengers from the capsized boat and transported
them to shore, no lives were lost.”
immediately the incident occurred, the patrol team at the Ojo Terminal was able
to move swiftly to rescue the situation. “One boat was going from Liverpool to
Ojo while the other was doing a return trip from same location. LASWA response
team were able to rescue all passengers from the capsized boat and transported
them to shore, no lives were lost.”
He said that the affected boats (Toba
Marine and Eco Lima) were in the custody of LASWA at the terminal until
conclusion of investigations into what led to the collision. Emmanuel
attributed the success of rescuing all passengers alive to the fact that they
were all putting on life jackets, which according to him also made rescue
efforts a lot easier.
Marine and Eco Lima) were in the custody of LASWA at the terminal until
conclusion of investigations into what led to the collision. Emmanuel
attributed the success of rescuing all passengers alive to the fact that they
were all putting on life jackets, which according to him also made rescue
efforts a lot easier.
“All passengers on both boats were all
putting on their life jackets. This is what we have been encouraging. Our
agency has been on the forefront of leading the campaign that for no reason
should anyone embark on a journey on water without putting on a life jacket. We
have also gone a step further to distribute life jackets to encourage boat
operators to enforce it,” the LASWA boss said.
putting on their life jackets. This is what we have been encouraging. Our
agency has been on the forefront of leading the campaign that for no reason
should anyone embark on a journey on water without putting on a life jacket. We
have also gone a step further to distribute life jackets to encourage boat
operators to enforce it,” the LASWA boss said.
He said that the 1,500 life jackets
were distributed within 2017 and January 2018, and that more would be
distributed in the course of the year.
were distributed within 2017 and January 2018, and that more would be
distributed in the course of the year.
