Nigeria: 18 Feared Dead in Boat Mishap in Festac Town, Lagos

About 18 persons are feared to have lost their lives in a boat mishap which occurred in the early evening of Tuesday at a canal on 4th Avenue, FESTAC Town, Lagos.

Eye-witnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident happened at about 19:30 hrs and that one of the six survivors rushed to the FESTAC Police Station to alert the police.
An eye-witness who did not want his name in print, told NAN that local divers then had to be mobilised to help with the rescue efforts.

Mr Jola Ogunlusi, President, Festival Town Residents Association (FTRA), told NAN that the rescue efforts had to be suspended at 02:00 hrs on Wednesday morning, after the recovery of 11 bodies from the canal.

"Local divers had to be mobilised to lead the rescue effort. Of the 24 passengers who were said to be on board the boat, only six were able to help themselves. We could only recover 11 bodies and the search for the other seven bodies will continue today," he said

Source: allAfrica