About five persons drowned Wednesday, while five others were rescued when a 20-passenger boat capsized mid-way from Ebute Terminal, along the Lagos – Ikorodu Expressway.

The boat was said to have capsized by the Ferry Terminal, Ipakodo, Ebute, as the passengers were heading from CMS to Ikorodu.

As at press time, rescue operations were still ongoing as only 10 persons- the dead and the rescued - were accounted for.

It was gathered that the bodies of the dead persons were brought to the jetty at Ipakodo located in outskirts of Lagos for onward movement to the nearest morgue.

Confirming the incident, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Adesina Tiamiyu, said the agency received the distress call late in the evening.

“The agency received the distress call and on arrival at the incident scene, it was observed that a 20 capacity passenger boat belonging to Blue Sea capsized mid-sea en route Ikorodu from Lagos Island. Investigation carried out by the LRT revealed that the immediate cause of the boat mishap was unknown at time of filing this report.

“Unfortunately five persons (four adult females and one adult male) were confirmed dead as a result of the incident and their bodies were deposited at the morgue at Ikorodu General Hospital. Meanwhile, five persons – four females and one male were rescued alive.

“The exercise was carried out by the combined efforts of LASEMA, Lagos State Waterways Agency (LASWA), and the Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS). Figures of other rescued victims cannot be ascertained as they were brought to the jetty with various passing boat. Recovery efforts still on-going at time of filing this report,” Tiamiyu explained.

•Culled from THISDAY