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Tag: Boat

  • Sad! How man, Joseph Blackson died after rescuing 13 persons in boat mishap

    Sad! How man, Joseph Blackson died after rescuing 13 persons in boat mishap

    It has been revealed that the residents of Bakama in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State have hailed the heroic effort of a young contractor, Joseph Blackson, who saved 13 passengers, but lost his life during the boat accident that claimed the lives of six persons on Saturday.

    According to Punch, it was gathered that apart from those who were saved by the fishermen around Iborama, where the passenger boat capsized, Blackson single-handedly rescued 13 persons before he died.

    It was learnt that it was while Blackson, who was a diesel supplier, was trying to rescue the 14th person that he died in the river.

    Sources said the river was deep and going in and out of it for more than eight times could be energy-sapping.

    A friend of the deceased, who identified himself only as Benibo, told Punch Metro at the Abonnema Wharf that the 36-year-old father of two was known for helping people in need.

    “He (Blackson) used to manage a family filling station at Rumuola (before it was demolished). Until his death, he was a contractor, supplying diesel in Trans Amadi to companies there.

    “He didn’t use life jacket like others. He gave up the ghost in the process of rescuing them,” Benibo said.

  • Police rescue three in Lagos boat mishap

    Police rescue three in Lagos boat mishap

    The Marine Police on Thursday said its men rescued three persons on Pashi river, Badagry, Lagos State, when their boat capsized on July 29.DSP Uchenna Itinyi, the Divisional

    Marine Officer (DMO), Badagry, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry.

    Itinyi said the men were coming from Cotonou, Benin Republic, and the boat was loaded with different goods when it capsized.

    He said the police officers, who were on 24 hours water patrol when the incident occurred, immediately moved to the scene and rescued the passengers.

    “We were able to save them before sinking, but unfortunately, we were unable to save their goods as everything went down.

    “I asked them to sit down for few minutes to see if the incident had affected them, so that we could take them to the hospital for treatment.

    “When I discovered that they were in good condition, I told them to write an entry and released them.

    “I urged them to come back the following day to check if we would be lucky to find any of their goods,” he said.

    The DMO implored travelers on boat to always put on life jackets.

    NAN reports that the Marine Police, established in 1891 in Lagos, was then known as ‘Night Water Patrol,’ with initial personnel of 12 headed by a sergeant.

    It was saddled with duties such as anti-smuggling patrols, anti-piracy operations, enforcement of ports, harbour and Shipping Acts, guards, escorts duties, surveillance and general anti-crime duties.

    NAN

  • Pandemonium as five die in Lagos boat mishap

    At least five people died in a boat accident in Lagos Wednesday evening.

    According to eye witness accounts, the incident happened at about 5.57 p.m.

    The general manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Adesina Tiamiyu, who confirmed the deaths, said the cause of the incident was still unknown.

    Findings revealed that a 20-capacity passenger boat belonging to Blue sea capsized mid-sea enroute Ikorodu from Lagos Island.

    Bodies of victims have since been deposited at the morgue at Ikorodu general hospital.

    The deceased, whose identities still remain unknown, include four women and a man.

    Meanwhile, five other persons were rescued after the incident.

    Recovery efforts still on-going at time of this report.

  • Six dead, 12 missing in Kebbi boat mishap

    The Chief Press Secretary to the Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Dakingari, said on Wednesday that six traders died while 12 persons were missing after a boat mishap on River Niger in Shanga Local Government Area of the state.

    Mr. Dakingari made the confirmation on Wednesday in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Birnin Kebbi.

    “Two canoes were carrying more than 78 passengers, six persons have been confirmed dead while 12 are still missing and over 60 were rescued,” he said.

    He said Governor Atiku Bagudu of the Kebbi State had directed the traditional rulers, local government chairmen, Nigerian Inland Waterways’ officials and Marine Police to prohibit night travels by boats and canoes.

    According to Mr. Dakingari , the governor gave the directive while on a condolence visit to the relatives of the victims in the area.

    NAN reports that the incident happened following head-on collision of two canoes carrying traders and their goods on Tuesday at about 8:30 p.m. in Barikin Sakace in Shanga Local Government Area.

    A resident of the area, Abubakar Maleje, told NAN that it was a terrible scene as the traders were brought out from the river.

    “I have seen six dead bodies and others are still missing in the river while search and rescue mission is still on by the authorities concerned.

    “Most of the passengers were travelling in the night inspite of the dangers of river voyage in the night.

    “ You can see the local boat operators over loading their boats with goods and people,’’ he said.

    The Executive Director of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Abbas Kamba, also confirmed the incident.

    NAN also recalls that in September 2017, no fewer than 53 traders were reported dead in a boat mishap on River Niger in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi.

     

    (NAN)

  • One dead, 19 rescued as boat capsizes in Lagos

    A boat carrying about 20 passengers between the hours of 9.30 am to 10:00 am on Tuesday, capsized in Lagos waters leaving one person dead.

    A statement by the Managing Director, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr. Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, in Lagos said that 19 passengers were rescued alive while one passenger, a lady, after a long search, was found dead in the sunk boat.

    He disclosed that the incident occurred when the boat hit a submerged object, adding that all the passengers were wearing life jackets as of the time of the incident even as she noted that the deceased was trapped in the boat.

    Emmanuel further said that the 19 passengers were later taken to Ebute-Ero jetty from where they were taken to an undisclosed hospital.

    The boat left Ikorodu Tuesday morning and headed for CMS.

    “A boat mishap occurred at about 9:30 to 10 am this morning. 20 people were on board, 19 were rescued alive while search is still going on for the last person.

    “The 19 were taken to Ebute Ero jetty where they were being taken to the hospital. Investigation is still going on to confirm the cause of the accident.

    “The last passenger has been found in the sank boat and dead.

    “The incident occurred as a result of the ferry boat hitting a submerged object. Further information is still being carried out.

    “They were all wearing life jackets but the lady was trapped in the boat,” the statement reads.

  • One dead, seven missing as boat capsizes in Delta

    One person has been confirmed dead after a boat traveling from Ugborodo community in Warri South-West council area of Delta State capsized on Friday.

    At least seven persons have been declared missing following the accident.

    The incident, which occurred just three days after an intra-community fracas claimed two lives in the oil-rich Itsekiri community of Ugborodo, was however said to be a natural accident.

    The Warri Area Commander of the Delta State Police Command, Mohammed Shaba, told The Nation that Friday’s incident has no link with Tuesday’s communal clash.

    “It was a natural mishap, no attack or anything. Only one person died and nobody mentioned anything about missing persons. It was just a natural accident,” Shaba said.

  • 9 feared dead in Lagos boat mishap

    The Lagos State Government on Sunday confirmed the death of nine persons in the boat mishap which occurred at the weekend in Ilashe area of the State.

    In a statement issued by the Managing Director of Lagos State Waterways Authority, Engr Abisola Kamson, the State Government attributed the unfortunate mishap to overloading of passengers on a Banana Boat and operation of illegal jetty.

    Kamson said four victims of the mishap who were rescued are already receiving treatment at a nearby hospital, while search and rescue operation was still on-going.

    While commiserating with the families of those that lost their loved ones, the State Government said the mishap had again brought to the fore the need for the National Inland Waterways Authority to respect the recent verdict of the Court of Appeal which upheld the powers of the State Government to control its intra-inland waterways.

    Going into details of the mishap, Kamson said: “An unfortunate incident occurred at Ilashe today Sunday August 20th arising from overloading of passengers on a Banana boat taking off from an illegal Jetty which has become a perennial issue of the Lagos State Government to rid our Waterfront areas of illegal operators.

    “We sympathize with the families of the deceased as nine lives were lost in the mishap and four people receiving treatment in the hospital.

    “The LASWA rescue team has been on ground and search is still on-going. This brings to fore again the need for NIWA to allow the judgement of the Appeal Court granting Lagos Control of her waterways to take effect without hindrance.

    “It is a matter for regret that ever since the judgement was pronounced, NIWA has ejected all State Water Guards monitoring standards from all Federal owned Jetties. In spite of this, the Government of Lagos State aligns to the safety of citizens on the waterways. All Lagosians are enjoined to wear standard life jackets at all times on our Waterways,” Kamson said.

    Besides, the LASWA boss urged boat operators and other stakeholders in the inland waterways sector to adhere strictly to safety standards at all times.

  • Mob kill three after eight die in boat accident

    John Charles, Makurdi

    Three elderly people were feared dead when mob protesting the death of eight of their loved ones during a boat accident, pounced on them in the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on Thursday night.

    The boat, carrying 13 passengers, was said to have capsized midway into the journey, killing the victims in the process.

    According to reports, two of the bodies were recovered late on Thursday while three others were found on Friday morning. Three others remain missing.

    Confirming the report, the Sole Administrator of Guma, Mr. Anthony Shawon, said that the accident was caused by overloading coupled with windstorm.

    He said that the passengers were also drunk.

    “The people were mourners who were heavily drunk. They refused to heed the advice of the boat paddlers for them to be ferried in two batches.

    “I also learnt that at the time they were crossing the river, there was heavy wind. All these might have been responsible for the accident,” he said.

    The Public Relations Officer, Benue State Police Command, ASP Moses Yamu, confirmed the incident, saying there was a mob action in Gbajmgba Town but that normalcy had been restored to the area.