29 dead in northwestern Nigeria river boat tragedy

Authorities in Nigeria report that 29 people are confirmed dead as a result of a passenger vessel incident that occurred in the country's northwestern state of Niger on Tuesday, September 2.

The incident occurred as the unnamed boat was transporting more than 90 people including women and children along a river in western Niger's Borgu Local Government Area at around 11:30 local time on Tuesday.

Officials said that the boat had struck a submerged tree stump, which then caused it to capsize.

Rescuers were able to pull 50 survivors and the bodies of 29 deceased individuals out of the water during the subsequent two-day response effort. An official said that none of the deceased wore lifejackets.

Two other people who were on the boat are still missing as of Wednesday evening.

Officials are looking into allegations that the boat may have been overloaded.

Tuesday's capsizing is the second fatal passenger vessel incident to occur in Niger state as well as the fourth incident overall in the country over the last two months.

In late July, at least 25 people were killed after a wooden boat carrying over 100 passengers capsized in Niger's Shiroro Local Government Area.

Nigeria has become known for its poor passenger vessel safety record, as shown by data collected by ferry safety advocate and Baird Maritime Co-Founder Dr Neil Baird over the last few years.

"Nigeria was [the] second worst [country in terms of fatal ferry accidents in 2024] with 423 fatalities from 13 incidents," Dr Baird wrote earlier this year. "The main factor that seems to be saving Nigerians from fates as bad as their Congolese brethren is that they tend to travel on smaller ferries."