Rescuers at the scene of the accident

Tragedy struck as Muslims celebrated the Sallah festival. At least five people have been confirmed dead and 17 others rescued as a ferry conveying 20 passengers and two crew member capsized at Ikorodu area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Saturday.

TheNEWS gathered that the ferry capsized at Bayeku, Igbogbo area of Ikorodu Waterways.

After the accident, a distress call was relayed to the Lagos State Command and Control Centre at about 1:29pm on Saturday about an hour 30 minutes after the incident.

According to information made available to the Agency’s Emergency Response Team by the Head of Operations Lagos State Inland Water Ways Authority, 20 passengers were on board along with two crew members (the captain and his assistant) before the mishap.

General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Michael Akindele confirmed that 15 passengers and 2 crew members were rescued by local fishermen around Bayeku Jetty, Igbogbo.

He added that four of the people rescued were taken to” Micai Hospital at Bayeku Oduloye bus stop as three of them are presently responding to treatment while one had been confirmed dead.

He said seven others among the rescued passengers were taken to Ikorodu General Hospital where four were confirmed dead, as two others were treated and discharged and one is presently receiving treatment and is in a critical condition.

“In all, 17 people were rescued, which include two crew members and 15 passengers and five confirmed dead (four adult male and one female).

Investigation revealed that the boat was not in a good condition while the Captain who was said to be inexperienced, was over-speeding when the boat developed some fault in its steering and thereafter capsized.

According to Akindele, the boat being an enclosed one further exacerbated the chances of survivors, disclosing that the captain of the boat had since been arrested and being questioned by Marine police from Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.