NIGERIAN AUTHORITIES STILL SEARCHING FOR NEARLY 200 PEOPLE MISSING AFTER BOAT CAPSIZE

Sun 01 December 2024:

Rescue workers have yet to find nearly 200 people who are missing one day after a boat capsized in Kogi State in Nigeria, an official told Anadolu on Saturday.

Suleiman Makana, a spokesperson for the National Inland Waterway Authority, said rescue and emergency workers deployed to the Dambo-Ebuchi stretch of the River Niger where the boat capsized Friday have not recovered any victim — dead or alive.

“We are yet to recover any of the passengers from the river. Search and rescue are still going on,” said Makama.

He said the government would continue operations in the days ahead.

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Nearly 200 passengers, mostly women traders, farmers and locals who boarded a boat from the north central state early Friday, are missing after their overloaded boat overturned meters from their destination.

Nigeria has a long history of tragic boat capsizes, primarily due to overloading, poor maintenance, bad weather, and a lack of safety measures. These accidents occur mainly on rivers such as the Niger and Benue, and in states like Kebbi, Niger, and Sokoto.

One of the worst incidents occurred in 2013, when a boat carrying over 100 passengers capsized on the Niger River, leading to many deaths. In 2021, another deadly accident in Kebbi state claimed over 150 lives. More recently, in 2023, around 100 people drowned in Niger state during a wedding event.

These frequent tragedies highlight Nigeria’s need for stricter regulations and improved safety on its waterways.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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