Lagos recovers bodies of six school children in Ojo boat mishap

BODIES of six school children who drowned in Wednesday’s boat mishap in Ojo area of Lagos were recovered yesterday.

The six were among the 14 school children and an adult on board a canoe in Irewe, Ebute-Ojo, which capsized when a speedboat ran into it. The other eight and the adult were rescued alive.

Government yesterday blamed the careless operator of a speedboat, while also regretting that none of the 15 passengers wore life-vests during the ill-fated home-to-school ride.

Managing Director of Lagos State Waterways Agency (LASWA), Yinka Marinho, told newsmen that tragedy struck when a motorised speedboat, owned by Ola-Mother, developed a fault mid-water and strayed onto the oncoming canoe when the operator was attempting to fix the problem in motion.

Marinho said the incident was unfortunate, as it occurred in spite of government’s efforts to make the waterways safer. He noted: “We got the distress call by 8:30a.m and immediately dispatched a patrol boat to the area.”

However, “we could only rescue eight of the passengers with the help of local fishermen. But this morning, bodies of the six missing children were recovered.”

He disclosed that the captain of the speedboat has been arrested and would be prosecuted. He added: “As part of the state’s corporate social responsibility since 2012, we have distributed over 3,500 life-vests – from Badagry to Epe area.

“As at May 2014, we had distributed 360 life-vests in that area to forestall these incidences, we don’t understand why people fail to wear them, but we would continue to ensure the safety of the waterways.”

According to him, there are plans to distribute another 2,400 life-vests within the next few months, just as he called on boat operators to insist on passengers wearing them. He reiterated that the state has adequate safety measures to guide the use of its waterways, including intermittently shutting the waterways during bad weather.

On his part, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the swiftness of the emergency response team saved the eight persons, adding: “Our response was swift, prompt and effective.

“Immediately we were informed, we activated our emergency response plan and were able to rescue nine people – eight children and the driver of the canoe.”

Five of those rescued, he said, were taken to Igando General Hospital, where they were adequately attended. He appealed to residents to adhere to the regulations on the use of waterways.

“Our people need to abide by these rules because safety of lives and property is paramount to this administration,” he said.

Similarly, the General Manager, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mrs. Dominga Odebunmi, said the state would not spare violators of its safety laws, while the Secretary of Ojo local council, Lawal Sakiru Adewale, disclosed that he led a delegation to the families of the deceased to commiserate with them, and that the state government bore the medical bills of those taken to the hospital.