About 200 passengers were on board the boat traveling from Kogi state to neighboring Niger state when it capsized, Management Agency spokesman Ibrahim Audu told the Associated Press. emergency department of Niger State.
Rescuers managed to extract 27 bodies from the river on Friday evening, while local divers were still searching for more people, according to Sandra Musa, a spokesperson for the Kogi state emergency services.
No survivors were found about 12 hours after the incident, she added.
Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the sinking, but local media suggested the boat may have been overloaded. Overcrowding on boats is common in remote areas of Nigeria where a lack of good roads leaves many people without an alternative route.
According to Justin Uwazuruonye, operations manager of Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency in the state, rescuers struggled to locate the site of the shipwreck for hours after Friday’s tragedy.
Such deadly incidents are increasingly becoming a source of concern in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, as authorities struggle to enforce security measures and shipping regulations.
Most accidents have been attributed to overcrowding and poor maintenance of the boats, often built locally to accommodate as many passengers as possible at the expense of safety measures.
Additionally, authorities have been unable to enforce the wearing of life jackets on these trips, often due to lack of availability or cost.
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