LAGOS: The death toll in a boat mishap in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos has risen to 15 with the recovery of more bodies, emergency officials said on Sunday.
“There were 16 passengers on board when the accident happened” on Friday night, Ibrahim Farinloye of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) told AFP.
Two bodies were initially found after the tragedy on Saturday, he said.
“Late yesterday night, two more bodies were recovered in addition to the two earlier recovered in the morning,“ he said.
He said 11 bodies were recovered on Sunday.
“With this, it has become a total of 15 bodies recovered.”
Farinloye said one passenger was still missing.
The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) also confirmed the accident.
“A W19 passenger Fibre boat carrying 16 people capsized along the Ojo area of the state,“ LASWA area manager Sarat Braimah said.
“The boat... broke the waterways rules of late travelling by setting sail at 7.45 pm (1845 GMT),“ she said.
Braimah said the tide carried the boat towards a barge and caused it to overturn.
The passengers, including children, were not wearing life jackets.
She said rescue operators quickly mobilised following a distress call.
Boat accidents are common on Nigerian waterways mostly due to overcrowding and bad maintenance, particularly during the rainy season.
Two people were killed and 15 rescued on Wednesday when their boat capsized in the Ikorodu area of the city. - AFP