JUST IN: 21 Feared Dead as 2 Boats Collide in Lagos, Details Emerge

• At least 21 passengers are feared dead after two boats collided and capsized in the lagoon near Imore town, Lagos State
• Lagos State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that emergency responders, including marine police and local divers, were swiftly mobilized
• An investigation into the cause of the collision is underway as search efforts continue to recover the bodies of missing passengers

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Imore, Lagos state - At least 21 passengers are feared dead following a tragic boat accident in Lagos State on Monday night.

The incident occurred in the lagoon near Imore town, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area.

Legit.ng reports that the two passenger boats, each carrying 16 passengers, collided and capsized.

Eyewitnesses reported that the boats, which were ferrying passengers and goods, went down after the collision in the middle of the lagoon.

While 11 passengers were rescued, many remain unaccounted for, The Punch reported.

Police react, say rescue agents were deployed

Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday, October 8.

He revealed that emergency responders, including marine police and local divers, were immediately mobilized to the scene after a distress call was received around 7 pm, Vanguard reported.

The statement read:

"On October 7, 2024, at about 7 pm, a distress call was received at the Ilashe Division reporting that two unregistered passenger boats, each carrying 16 passengers, allegedly collided in the middle of the lagoon at Imore town.

"As a result, the boats capsized, and the passengers drowned along with their goods,"

Hundeyin noted that 11 injured passengers were rescued and rushed to the Naval Hospital in Navy Town, Alakija, for treatment.

He added.

"Efforts to recover the bodies of other passengers are still ongoing."

The police spokesperson also confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the collision is currently in progress, as search operations continue for the missing passengers.

Flooding: FG releases list of 19 states to be mostly affected

In another report, the federal government had issued a warning that river flooding would commence by late July, significantly affecting 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Legit.ng reported that authorities cautioned that persistent flooding could exacerbate the ongoing cholera outbreak in some states.