Another boat mishap claims 29 lives in Niger, 50 rescued, two missing

29 persons have been confirmed dead in a boat accident that occurred in the Gausawa community in Malale ward of Borgu Local Government Area of Niger.

Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, Director-General of Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), disclosed this in a statement in Minna on Wednesday.

He stated that the incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 11:30 am, adding that the boat was carrying 90 passengers, including women and children.

He stated that the boat departed from Tungan Sule in Shagunu ward with 90 people on board and was en route to Dugga for a condolence visit.

He stated that the boat collided with a tree stump, which led to the tragic incident.

He said 29 dead bodies have been recovered, with 50 persons rescued alive, while two people were still missing, adding that search and rescue operations were ongoing.

“Overloading and collision with the tree stump are believed to be the causes of the mishap,” he said.