Oluwole Josiah-Uanzekin
At least one person has died in a boat mishap in Idiogba community, in Ilaje local government area of Ondo state.
It was gathered that the boat, which left Awoye on Saturday to Igbokoda market was said to have developed a fault in the middle of the water and capsized.
However, other 15 passengers aboard the ill-fated vessel were rescued alive.
An eyewitness said the boat was overloaded with passengers and goods when the boat capsized.
He said the engine of the boat suddenly stopped working while on the sea and the wave of the sea was hard on the boat, throwing the passengers and their goods into the sea.
It was learnt that it took the efforts of local fishermen and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to rescue the others alive.
The Ondo State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps confirmed the development on Sunday.
The Command in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Olufemi Omole, called for caution while plying the state’s water ways.
The statement noted that rescuers made several efforts to prevent the boat from sinking, but could not because sea waves washed off the boat.
The command then cautioned Boat or ferry transporters at the riverine areas of the state to desist from overloading of Passengers and goods which could lead to an unprecedented mishap.
It further stated that the accident would have been averted if the transporter had not overloaded the boat and if the passengers had put on their life jackets.
The command also said that it was fully committed to safeguarding all Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, through intelligence gathering, Anti-Vandalism, Disaster Management amongst others.
It warned that any boat transporter caught in the act of risking the lives of innocent citizens by over speeding and overloading would be arrested and prosecuted under the law.
A boat mishap was also recorded in Ilaje in October last year during the state’s governorship election which was won by Rotimi Akeredolu.
The incident involved electoral officers who were their way to Ilaje to conduct the elections.
INEC later reported that all the officers were rescued unhurt by Naval officers and the electoral materials recovered.