One feared dead as van plunges into Lagos river

 

A white Toyota Hilux van belonging to Ikoyi Golf Club in the early hours of Saturday plunged into Majidun River near Ikorodu, a Lagos State suburb.

The vehicle, said to be on its way to Ikorodu, veered off the road before plunging into the river.

Men of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency; Lagos State Traffic Management Authority Lagos State Waterways Management Authority; and the Lagos State Police Command  were deployed in the area to facilitate rescue and evacuation.

The General Manager, LASEMA, Mr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the incident, said there was one occupant in vehicle with number plate KS 918 AU.

In an earlier text message to one of our correspondents, he had said, “Hilux van owned by Ikoyi Gulf Club plunged into Majidun River in Ikorodu at about 5:30am. Upon notification of the incident, stakeholders moved into the scene and rescue operations commenced.

“The vehicle has been recovered. However, the bodies of the four occupants have yet to be recovered. Rescue operation is still ongoing.”

He later told my source that the driver of the vehicle had dropped his three passengers at Palmgrove end of Lagos-Ikorodu Road.

Oke-Osanyintolu said, “Later, they informed us from his workplace that he dropped three people at Palmgrove. So, it is not out of place to say it was only him that plunged into the river.

“We’ve not been able to recover his body; we’ve combed the area. The recovery team will go back there early in the morning (today) because we believe the tidal waves of the water might have moved him out of that area.”

Shortly after the accident, an eyewitness who pleaded anonymity, told one of our correspondents that a pair of shoe was recovered from the river.

Another eyewitness, Mr. Oladele Obazuwa, said, “Around 6:25am, we heard a shout for help to rescue occupants of a sinking vehicle. We were helpless until Chinese workers in the neighbourhood came around.”

Wrapped food and drinks littered the scene, indicating that the vehicle might have been heading to or coming from a party.

A commercial bus and a Toyota Camry saloon car had on November 23, 2012, plunged into the river. Similarly, a Toyota Sienna car had fallen off the Third Mainland Bridge into the lagoon on January 26, 2013. The driver and lone occupant, Mr. Olusola Oladimeji, who was pulled out of the vehicle alive, had described his escape as a miracle.

Source:punch