At least 64 feared dead in Nigeria boat accident

Only six survivors pulled from river in Zamfara State as overcrowding blamed for incident

MOSCOW:

At least 64 people are feared dead after a boat accident on a river in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, local officials reported on Saturday.

A wooden boat carrying 70 farmers capsized while transporting them across the river to their farmlands near Gummi town on Saturday morning. Local authorities quickly mobilised residents to launch a rescue operation, and after three hours, six survivors were rescued from the water.

This is the second such incident in the Gummi Local Government Area, according to Aminu Nuhu Falale, a local administrator who led the rescue efforts. He noted that emergency teams were continuing their search in hopes of finding more survivors.

More than 900 farmers rely on crossing the river daily to reach their fields, but with only two boats available, overcrowding often occurs, explained the local traditional ruler.

Zamfara State, which is already struggling with criminal gangs vying for control of mineral resources, has also been severely impacted by flooding from heavy rains. Two weeks ago, more than 10,000 residents were displaced due to floods, according to local officials.