Four people are confirmed dead after a boat carrying passengers capsized in Jigawa State in northwestern Nigeria on Wednesday, September 23.
The incident occurred shortly after 16:00 local time when the unnamed vessel capsized in Dudduru Pond near the village of Kwadige in Jigawa's Dutse Local Government Area.
The boat had eight people on board at the time. Local media said the incident may have been caused by strong winds, though the probable cause has not yet been determined by officials.
The bodies of four deceased victims have been recovered from the surrounding waters. All four have been identified as young girls aged 12 and 13.
The boat's remaining four occupants were rescued by local residents who happened to be nearby when the incident occurred.
Wednesday's capsizing is the second fatal passenger vessel incident to occur in Jigawa State in a little over two months.
On July 19, a wooden boat carrying more than 40 people capsized in Ringim Local Government Area. Nine of that boat's occupants are confirmed dead while at least eight others have not yet been found.
Baird Maritime tracks global passenger vessel accidents in its comprehensive database, which can be accessed here.
