Authorities of Oto/Awori Local Council Development Area had blamed the purportedly high casualty figure of the incident on the refusal of residents of communities in the area to wear life jackets when on board.
The council had, therefore, commenced plans to enforce the use of life jackets by passengers of canoes in all communities in the area.
Ten passengers of an Imude-bound canoe were on Sunday morning reportedly drowned as the canoe ferrying them from Ido Oluwo capsized.
Five bodies of the drowned persons were on Sunday evening recovered by a combined team of LASEMA officials and local divers.
The chairman of the council, Kayode Robert, while speaking on the incident on Monday, said that, “one more body has been recovered, bringing the total to six.”
He blamed the incident on the effect of the wave generated by a flying boat carrying workers of a construction company.
He further said that the council would provide more life jackets to residents of communities in the riverine area and make efforts to ensure that the jackets were used when on board.
The council chairman also blamed the passengers of the boat for not using their life jackets which, according to him, would have reduced the casualty figure.
On the casualty figure, he said, “nobody really knows the actual figure. Nobody can say whether the remaining bodies are up to five or more than that.”(tribune)
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