More than 100 feared dead in Niger River shipwreck
At least 36 people have died after a boat capsized in northwestern Nigeria, emergency services told AFP today, raising fears the death toll could exceed 100.
The boat sank on Tuesday in the Niger River. Nearly 150 of the roughly 300 people on board were rescued, but “there is no chance” of finding any more survivors, emergency services spokesman Ibrahim Husseini said.
According to him, the boat was carrying many women and children who were going to the Gbajibo community for the Muslim festival of Mawlid, which commemorates the birth of the prophet Muhammad.
Yesterday’s tally spoke of at least 16 dead. “Today we found another 20 bodies, bringing to 36 the number of dead recovered from the waters of the river,” Husseini said. “There is no chance of finding any more survivors. All the missing are dead,” he emphasized with certainty.
Last month, an overloaded boat sank in a river in Zamfara state (northwest), killing more than 40 people.
Source :Skai
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