Amidst the hustle of Lagos, a shocking accident at sea has turned a routine journey into a heartbreaking search for the missing and presumed drowned.
Rescuers fear that at least 21 passengers drowned after a boat collision on Monday, October 7, 2024, in Imore town, within the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Tragedy struck when two boats, each carrying 16 passengers, collided and capsized in the middle of the lagoon.
In a press release on Tuesday, Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, explained that someone reported the incident to the Ilashe police division around 7:00 P.M.
Emergency responders, including marine police and local divers, quickly mobilised to the scene.
They also rescued 11 passengers who sustained injuries.
The injured were rushed to the Naval Hospital in Navy Town, Alakija, for medical attention.
Police Response To Boat Collision
In the statement, Hundeyin said, “On October 7, 2024, at about 7:00 P.M, a distress call was received at the Ilashe Division.
“It reported that two unregistered passenger boats, each carrying 16 passengers, allegedly collided in the middle of the lagoon at Imore town.
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“As a result, the boats capsized, and the passengers drowned along with their goods.”
He added, “Based on the report, teams of conventional and marine policemen, local divers, and other emergency responders quickly mobilised to the scene.
“They rescued 11 passengers with injuries and rushed them to the Naval Hospital in Navy Town, Alakija, for medical attention.”
Meanwhile, other passengers remain unaccounted for.
Hundeyin confirmed that efforts to recover their bodies were underway.
He also noted that an investigation into the incident was ongoing.
