Over 70 dead after river boat capsizes in south-eastern Nigeria
PASSENGER VESSEL WEEK
Officials in Nigeria have confirmed that 76 people were killed and an undetermined number have gone missing after a boat capsized and sank in the Niger River in the state of Anambra in the country’s south-east on Friday, October 7.
The incident occurred as the vessel was transporting over 90 people who were attempting to flee Anambra’s Ogbaru area due to rising flood waters.
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and other local partners were immediately deployed to the area to conduct search and rescue (SAR) operations. However, an official said that only 15 survivors have so far been rescued from the surrounding waters.
On Sunday, October 9, President Muhammadu Buhari said that SAR operations will continue in order to account for the boat’s occupants who may still be missing.
Mr Buhari has also ordered the relevant government agencies to review the safety protocols that apply to the country’s ferries to ensure that similar incidents will be avoided in the future.
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