25 Missing, 26 Rescued as Boat Ferrying Traders Capsizes in Nigeria
- The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) issued a statement following a boat accident on Sunday, August 17
- The authorities shared details of the ongoing rescue mission after the boat with over 50 passengers capsized in Kojiyo village
- NEMA explained why the management of Goronyo Dam temporarily closed the dam for two days
Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Nigeria: At least 25 people are feared dead following a boat accident in Kojiyo village, Goronyo local government area of Sokoto State.
Source: Facebook
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the boat ferrying over 50 passengers, mostly traders, capsized on Sunday, August 17.
How many were rescued in Sokoto boat accident?
NEMA spokesperson Manzo Ezekiel said 10 people were rescued on the same day, with an additional 15 being rescued on Monday, August 18.
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Ezekiel stated that the agency had intensified the rescue mission until all missing persons are found.
He further disclosed that the management of Goronyo Dam has temporarily closed the dam for two days to allow divers and rescuers greater access to the affected area.
“Recall that the ill-fated canoe, carrying over 50 passengers en route to Goronyo Market, capsized in Kojiyo village on Sunday. Initial operations had led to the rescue of 10 passengers, while the intensified efforts yielded an additional 15 rescues. Authorities also recovered seven motorcycles from the river. To enhance the effectiveness of the operation, the management of Goronyo Dam has temporarily closed the dam for two days, allowing divers and rescuers greater access to the affected area,” Ezekiel said.
What caused Nigerian boat accident?
He added that the NEMA operations office is working in close collaboration with the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Goronyo Local Government Authority, and local divers to sustain the coordinated search and rescue operations.
According to preliminary investigations, people attributed the cause of the mishap to wind, but other entities, including NIWA, said it was caused by overloading.
During the rescue mission, seven motorbikes belonging to the traders were recovered.
"The people attributed the cause of the mishap to wind, but others, including NIWA, confirmed it was overloading. 25 passengers were rescued alive, while about 25 are still missing. 7 motorcycles were retrieved from the water. No corpse (dead body) has been found yet," NEMA said in a post on Facebook.
Source: Getty Images
How many died in Mediterranean boat accident?
The accident came a few days after 26 people died in a similar incident at the southern Italian island of Lampedusa.
On Wednesday, August 13, a boat ferrying migrants travelling from Libya to Europe capsized in the Mediterranean.
UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM), spokesperson Flavio Di Giacomo said around 95 people had been travelling on the two vessels.
With only 60 people having been rescued, it was feared that 35 victims lost their lives in the tragic incident.
Authorities said that among the bodies recovered by the rescue team was that of a minor, whose parents are also missing.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
