One dies in Lagos boat explosion

Lagos—One person was yesterday confirmed dead, several others injured, as another passenger boat exploded in Lagos at the weekend.

Aside the deceased who was identified as Emmanuel Onu, Vanguard gathered that another passenger of the ill-fated boat was still in coma two days after the explosion.

It was gathered that the passengers were coming from Lekki axis of the state before the boat engine exploded at Capital Oil Jetty at Victoria Island.

Sources said that aside Onu who died in the explosion, other passengers who sustained varying degrees of injury were immediately rescued and taken to different hospitals in Lagos island.

A relative to the decease, Mr. Sunday Ezugha, who spoke to Vanguard, explained that the decease left home at the early hours on Friday to work. But two days after, his whereabouts was yet to be known.
Ezugha, tearfully said; “We have been fasting and praying since Friday night when we called his phone and he did not pick. Also, when we called those we knew could be aware of his whereabouts and their answers were negative.”

Confirming the incident, the information officer of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, South-West, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye said the body of the deceased was recovered at about 10:00 am yesterday.

Explaining the accident, the information officer said “The boat which was said to belong to Aquitien Oil and Gas, took off from V-Craft Jetty, Lekki Phase One, and while trying to refill gasoline at Capital Oil Jetty at Victoria Island, the engine exploded.

According to him, “A relative, Sunday Ezugha, of one of the missing passengers Emmanuel Onu called and narrated that the owner of the boat Aquitien Oil and Gas could not be reached since the incident occurred.”

Farinloye lamented that the information of the disaster came too late, saying; “If the emergency team were alerted earlier, the number of passengers affected would have been minimal.”