Five persons died and 15 others declared missing after two passenger boats sank along the coast of Nigeria’s commercial city of Lagos, the local press reported Sunday.
Police spokesman Frank Mba was quoted as saying that one of the boats, with 24 passengers on board, developed a fault while travelling from Bayeku in Ikorodu to Langbasa on Friday, causing the boat to take in water.
Attempts by another passenger boat, with 11 persons on board, to rescue the passengers of the distressed boat went awry due to desperation and stampede by the passengers, causing both boats to sink.
Mba said a team of marine police, assisted by fishermen, rescued 15 of the passengers, who have all been treated and discharged at the hospital.
He said the marine police were still combing the creeks for the remaining passengers, who are feared dead.