Several missing after Nigeria boat sinks with 160 onboard

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 07:58 am

Abdullahi Buhari Wara, administrative head of Ngaski district told that dozens of people were missing in northwest Nigeria on Wednesday after an overloaded boat ferrying around 160 passengers sank in the Niger River. This boat left central Niger state and was heading to northwest Kebbi state when it split and sank. Though a rescue operation was started immediately only 22 survivors and one dead body have been recovered. This leaves around 140 passengers still missing in the river.

These passengers were heading to a market in Malele in the Borgu local government area of Niger state when the boat sank. Unfortunately, it was a wooden boat that was old and very weak but continued people continued to carry others in their boats without getting it repaired.

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District administrator blames the accident on overloading as the boat was meant to ferry not more than 80 passengers and even the vessel was also loaded with bags of sand from a gold mine. This shows negligence at the part of ferry owner and authorities of the ferry terminal. River Niger is West Africa’s main river running in a crescent through Guinea to Nigeria’s Niger Delta and it plays a key role in local trade for several countries.

A resident of Wara, which is a nearby town, says many bodies are expected to wash up by the shore in the days ahead. Is brother is among those missing ones too. The resident refers to this accident as the worst boat incident that has happened in this water.