Major accident in Nigeria, 27 people died due to a boat capsizing, and more than 100 people missing.

At least 27 people were killed and more than 100, mostly women, were missing when a boat carrying food to a market capsized along the Niger River in northern Nigeria on Friday. Ibrahim Audu, the spokesman for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, said about 200 passengers were on board the boat, which was heading from Kogi State to neighboring Niger State when it capsized.

 

 

According to Kogi State Emergency Services spokeswoman Sandra Moses, rescue teams had managed to retrieve 27 bodies from the river by Friday evening, while local divers were still searching for others.

Lack of good roads

He said no survivors were found until nearly 12 hours after the incident. Officials have not confirmed what caused the sinking, but local media suggested the boat may have been overloaded. Overcrowding is common on boats in remote parts of Nigeria, where many people have no alternative route due to a lack of good roads.

 

Safety measures for water transport

Rescue workers had trouble locating the boat's location for hours after Friday's tragedy, according to Justin Uwazuruonyi, who is in charge of operations for Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency in the state. Such fatal incidents are becoming a growing concern in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, as authorities struggle to enforce safety measures and regulations for water transport.

Lack of maintenance of boats

Most accidents are caused by overcrowding and lack of maintenance of boats, which are often built locally to accommodate as many passengers as possible, disregarding safety measures. In addition, authorities are often not able to enforce the use of life jackets on such trips due to lack of availability or cost.