LAGOS – A rescue team from the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) on Saturday recovered the body of a man declared missing after the tragic boat mishap on Majidun River in Ikorodu, near Lagos on April 2.
The Managing Director of LASWA, Mr Olayinka Marinho, confirmed the recovery of the body.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the rescue team recovered the lifeless body of the 38-year-old shipping company executive, identified as Mr Isaac Akere, at 7.00 a.m.
Akere was working with CMA CGM Delmas Nigeria Ltd., based in Apapa, Lagos.
“Our search team discovered the wreck of the boat mishap that happened on Wednesday evening at Majidun in Ikorodu on Friday.
“Another team went in search of the missing body and it was recovered this morning.
“The body was identified by family members and a colleague of the deceased and it had been deposited at the hospital morgue,” Marinho said.
A colleague of the deceased, Mr Kelechi Chukwudi, told NAN that the news of Akere’s death came to the office through survivors of the accident, who worked in a neighbouring organisation.
“We got the news of the death of our colleague and his fiancée, whose wedding will come up on April 12 by two survivors who work in a nearby organisation.
“When we heard the news, we went to the Ebute-Ero Jetty and we were referred to LASWA office and later to Ikorodu General Hospital where the corpse of his fiancée was identified on Thursday.
“The loss of our colleague and his fiancée is a big blow to us but we thank LASWA for recovering his body,” Chukwudi said.
The 22-capacity boat, plying Ebute-Ero to Ikorodu, was involved in the deadly incident which occurred on the river accident at 5.45p.m.
NAN reports that 13 people were rescued during the mishap while eight dead with one passenger declared missing.
The bodies of the dead people were initially taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital and later to General Hospital, Marina for further investigation by the Marine Police at Ikoyi, Lagos. (NAN)