Desk Report,
At least 32 dead in Nigeria ferry sinking
At least 32 people have died after a ferry capsized in Niger state, rescuers said on Thursday. The accident occurred on Tuesday morning on the Malale River in the north-central region of the country, said Abubakar Idris, a local representative of the Red Cross.
At least 32 dead in Nigeria ferry sinking
There were about 100 people on board, including women and children, when the ferry hit a tree root and sank.
The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said that overloading and hitting a tree root were to blame for the accident. SEMA representative Abdullahi Baba Arah said the initial death toll was 29. Three more bodies were recovered in the Borgu area, bringing the death toll to 32. Eight people are still missing. 50 people have been rescued alive. Rescue operations are ongoing.
Rescuers said the passengers were heading to the village of Dugga, 15-20 kilometers away, to pay their respects to a man who died a few days ago. But on the way, the ferry hit a tree root near the village of Dugausawa and sank.
Ferries, boats and trawlers often sink in Nigeria. In most cases, these accidents occur due to taking more passengers than their capacity. Apart from this, there are allegations against the boat owners that other rules are not followed.
Last August, a boat carrying about 50 passengers sank in the northwestern state of Sokoto. Three people died and 25 are missing. Earlier, six teenage girls lost their lives in a boat sinking in Jigawa state while returning from the field.
At the time, the police said that the boat was sailing in the dark. The water level was high and the wind was blowing at a strong speed. In addition, the passengers were not given life jackets as per the rules.
