Nigeria: At least 27 Dead, 100 Missing After Boat Capsized

About 200 passengers were on the boat that was going from the state of Kogi to the neighboring state of Niger.

Nigeria boat tragedy
(Image for representation)
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At least 27 people died and more than 100, mostly women, were missing on Friday, after a boat transporting them to a food market capsized along the River Niger in northern Nigeria, authorities said.

About 200 passengers were on the boat that was going from the state of Kogi to neighbouring state of Niger when it capsized, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency spokesman Ibrahim Audu told The Associated Press.

Rescuers managed to pull 27 bodies from the river by Friday evening while local divers were still searching for others, according to Sandra Musa, spokeswoman for the Kogi state emergency services.

No survivor was found about 12 hours after the incident occurred, she added.

Authorities have not confirmed what caused the sinking but local media suggested the boat may have been overloaded. Overcrowding on boats is common in remote parts of Nigeria where the lack of good roads leaves many with no alternative routes.

According to Justin Uwazuruonye, who is in charge of Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency operations in the state, rescuers had trouble finding the location of the capsizing for hours after Friday's tragedy struck.

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