100 dead, and many missing after the boat drowns in Kwara, Africa
Authorities say that around 100 people have sunk, and more are missing after a boat having them down the River Niger in Kwara, southwestern Nigeria overturned.
After a marriage ceremony, the boat carried almost 300 passengers from Kwara state to Niger state.
Search and rescue units were attempting to find more victims, officers said. A traditional regional ruler said the boat overturned after colliding with a tree.
“Dozens of people were feared killed, and many others [are] still missing”, a report from the Kwara state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq stated on Tuesday.
The Emir of Patigi, Ibrahim Umar Bologi II – the traditional monarch of the place where it occurred – said around 150 people had died. He told reporters that river waves surpassed the boat and forced it to collide with a tree that had washed into the river, causing the vessel to overturn.
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A Kwara state police representative told AFP media agency the casualty toll would probably increase as search and rescue efforts continued. Mr AbdulRazaq offered his “heartfelt condolences” to the victim’s loved ones – and said rescuers persisted in searching for survivors.
River casualties in this region of Nigeria are common.
Locals who live in the villages adjoining the River Niger, which runs through the nation’s centre, usually use the river as it can be quicker than roads, which are often poorly kept and risky due to kidnapping gangs.
However, boat operators usually overload their frail vessels to gain more money.
