Search operations continue for the bodies of 41 passengers after a boat capsized on Saturday in the Zamfara River in northern Nigeria, authorities reported on Sunday.
The boat, which was transporting 53 farmers to their fields on the Gumi River, capsized midway through the journey.
Yesufu Musa, the political governor of the Gumi area where the incident occurred, stated that search efforts are ongoing to locate the 41 missing individuals. He noted that only 12 survivors were rescued shortly after the accident.
Musa explained that the boat was overloaded, which led to its overturning and sinking. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed his condolences for the "more than 40 farmers" who lost their lives in the boat tragedy.
The region of Gumi had recently experienced severe flooding that displaced over 100,000 people.
Tinubu pledged to provide support to the victims of both the boat accident and the recent floods. Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, particularly during the rainy season, often due to overloading, poor maintenance, and non-compliance with safety regulations.
Last month, 30 farmers perished when their boat sank in the Dande River in the neighboring Sokoto State.
Additionally, three days prior, 15 farmers were killed when their boat capsized in the Gamoda River in northern Jigawa State.
Follow the latest news on Google News
