One dies as Ogun, Lagos boats collide

A six-year-old boy, Isaiah Bamidele, has died after two boats collided in Odo-Isitu, Egan, Lagos State.
It was learnt that the boats had 17 passengers on board each and were rowing in opposite directions.
However, the Ogun boat, which was on top speed, reportedly lost control and crashed into the one from Lagos.
All the passengers were said to have fallen into the waters before  local divers arrived the scene in response to an emergency call.
The spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency, South-West zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, while confirming the incident, said Bamidele was the only passenger that died, adding that the local divers rescued the other victims.
He said, “The boy was recovered dead by local divers. The two boats collided at Odo-Isitu in Egan. The boat was coming from Totowu in Ogun State, lost control and collided with another that took off from Egan in Lagos State.
“The two boats were carrying 17 passengers each. The incident happened around 1.20pm on Sunday.”
He said Bamidele had since been buried by his family.
The NEMA South-West Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Bandele Onimode, appealed for safety consciousness among people in the region.
He called on boat operators to embrace the use of life jackets.
“If not for the quick response of the local divers, many lives would have been lost to the mishap,” he added.

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