Many counted dead after overcrowded boat capsizes in Niger River
At least 29 people are reported to have died and some officials point at rising toll after an overcrowded boat sank upon colliding with a tree stump hidden in the water.
Local witnessed narrated that the boat was carrying over 100 passengers when it sank into a river in Niger State, leaving rescuers said on intense search for unaccounted passengers.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said in a statement that 29 bodies were recovered and 50 people were rescued, while two were still unaccounted for.
News agency Reuters cited a local government official as saying that the death toll was rising and had reached as high as 60.
The accident which occurred late morning on Tuesday involved the boat which left Tungan Sule in Malale district towards Dugga. It reportedly hit a submerged tree stump near Gausawa community in Borgu Local Government Area and capsized.
“The cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stump,” SEMA said.
Accidents on Nigeria’s busy river networks are usually caused by overloading, poor maintenance of vessels and failure to comply with safety norms.
