Ten members of a family, have been confirmed dead in a boat mishap alongside with fifteen others in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State while heading to the popular market in Zumba.
Penpushing reports that the sad incident occurred on Saturday at around 2 p.m. when a boat carrying passengers from Guni in the Munya Local Government Area to a weekly market capsized after hitting a submerged tree log on the river.
The Sarkin Ruwa of Zumba, Umar Isah, confirmed the incident, adding that the victims were mostly traders, and that a family lost 10 members, while another family reported five of its members missing.
“Although the boat operator could not state the exact number of passengers, we estimate that about 25 people lost their lives in the mishap. Many others are still missing and unaccounted for’ Isah said.
Penpushing further reports that he explained that the overcrowded wooden boat capsized midstream after it struck a tree trunk beneath the water’s surface, pointing out that absence of life jackets and the lack of regulation for inland water transport have been blamed for the frequent loss of lives in the area.
The Director of Information and Special Duties of Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) Ibrahim Hussaini equally confirmed the incident, while adding that rescue operations were ongoing.
“We are in touch with local authorities and emergency volunteers who are involved in the rescue and recovery efforts. At the moment, the casualty figure stands at 25, but the number may increase as search operations continue’, Hussaini said.
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