Newest tragedy to hit busy waterways leaves greater than 100 lacking, with potential causes starting from turbulence to age of vessel.
At the least 27 folks died when a boat capsized on the Niger River in central Nigeria, say authorities.
The boat was carrying about 200 passengers from the state of Kogi to a meals market within the neighbouring state of Niger when it capsized late on Thursday, with greater than half reportedly lacking, in accordance with Ibrahim Audu, a spokesman for the Niger State Emergency Administration Company.
By Friday night, rescuers had managed to drag 27 our bodies from the river whereas native divers have been nonetheless trying to find the lacking passengers, in accordance with Sandra Musa, spokeswoman for the Kogi State emergency providers.
“It’s not clear what induced the accident,” Musa stated. Amongst potential causes, she listed turbulence on the waterway and the age of the boat, attributing the demise toll to the absence of life jackets. Not one of the our bodies recovered had life jackets on, she stated.
Rescuers had bother discovering the placement of the accident for hours, in accordance with Justin Uwazuruonye, who’s in command of Nigeria’s Nationwide Emergency Administration Company operations within the state.
Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo stated in a press release that many of the victims have been ladies, merchants and artisans “concerned in legit enterprise actions to earn a dwelling and contribute to the economic system of the state”.
Villagers and volunteers downstream of the accident have been urged to be looking out for our bodies.
Mass drownings
The accident was the newest in a collection of mass drownings on the nation’s busy waterways, as authorities battle to implement security measures and laws for water transportation.
Final month, some 100 people have been feared useless after a ship carrying 300 passengers, lots of them ladies and kids, to a Muslim competition in Niger State flipped over within the river.
In September, an overloaded boat sank whereas carrying greater than 50 farmers throughout the Gummi River in Zamfara State, killing greater than 40.
In June 2023, greater than 100 folks died when a riverboat carrying about 250 passengers capsized within the north-central state of Kwara.
Many of the accidents have been attributed to overcrowding and a scarcity of upkeep of the boats, usually constructed regionally to hold as many passengers as potential in defiance of security measures.
Additionally, authorities haven’t been in a position to implement using life jackets on such journeys, usually due to lack of availability or price.
