According to local authorities, a boat carrying more than 100 passengers capsized in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State killing at least 60 people and rescuing dozens more.
On Tuesday morning, the ship left the Malale district’s Tungan Sule town for Dugga on Nigeria’s Kainji reservoir, and it made its way there at around 11 a.m. local time (10:00 GMT).
The incident occurred when a vessel struck a submerged tree stump near the Gausawa community in the Borgu Local Government Area, according to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA).
The agency reported to the local newspaper, Daily Trust, that “overloading and collision with a tree stump” was to blame.
Women and children were reported missing from the ship, which NSEMA claimed was headed for Dugga for a “condolence visit.”
According to Abdullahi Baba Ara, director general of NSEMA and head of the Borgu Local Government Area, the number of casualties are still rising as the search efforts for “missing persons” are being conducted.
He told the Reuters news agency, “The boat incident has claimed 60 lives.
He continued, “Ten people have been discovered in serious condition, and many are still being sought.”
The boat had “more than 100 people on it,” according to Sa’adu Inuwa Muhammad, the district head of Shagumi, who was present at the scene shortly after the accident.
31 corpses were recovered from the river, according to the organization. He added that the boat had also been recovered and taken out.
According to Muhammad, the deceased made up the majority of women and children. According to him, four victims have already been interred in accordance with Islamic customs.
Riverine communities in Nigeria frequently experience boat accidents, especially during the rainy season between March and October, when rivers and lakes overflow. This is caused by lax safety enforcement, overcrowding, and subpar boats.
Source: Aljazeera
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