Boxing Day Mishap, Bus Plunges Into Lagos Canal

Many passengers were reportedly rescued on Monday after a bus plunged into a canal within the Iyana-Oworo end of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

It was gathered that the passengers were heading for Oworo to felicitate with a traditional leader when the fully loaded bus reportedly lost control and plunged into the canal.

Eyewitnesses’ accounts said all the passengers were successfully rescued except a baby who was recovered dead.

The Bus, according to eyewitnesses, lost control near an open field in the area in an unclear circumstance.

However, the passengers were rescued by some first responders at the scene of the incident.

An eyewitness, Ms Sadia Adefarati said sympathisers and residents did the needful before the arrival of emergency agencies.

She said, “LASTMA personnel in the area tried their best but there was no equipment. Thank God for some residents within the community who left what they were doing to rescue the passengers. The incident was within the canal at Iyana-Oworo and not on the expressway.

“All the passengers have been rescued except a baby who was recovered dead. As I speak, only the bus remains in the canal,” she said.

The victims were said to have been taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention but one of them, a female was said to have died in the hospital as a result of shock.

Efforts to reach the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls and messages but the incident was confirmed by the Acting Coordinator, National Emergency Agency, NEMA, Lagos State Territorial District, Ibrahim Farinloye.