Three dead after passenger boat capsizes near Bonny Island, Nigeria

Three people are confirmed dead after a boat carrying 22 passengers capsized near Bonny Island in Nigeria's Rivers State on Sunday, January 19.

The unidentified vessel had departed the state capital Port Harcourt and was en route to Bonny Island when it capsized not far from its intended final destination at around 17:00 local time on Sunday.

Nineteen of the boat's passengers were successfully rescued while two adult males and a young girl perished as a result of the mishap, a Rivers State police spokesperson told local media on Tuesday, January 21.

A local representative of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria said the incident occurred as a storm swept through the area.

An investigation into the tragedy is ongoing.

Fatal maritime accidents in Nigeria, particularly in the country's more remote communities, have been attributed to regulatory lapses. Mishaps that resulted in death in these areas in recent years have been caused by factors such as overloading, lack of vessel maintenance, and failure to clear waterways of obstructions.

In 2024, there were 13 passenger vessel incidents in Nigerian waters that resulted in 423 fatalities.