The Zamfara boat mishap had 12 passengers rescued, according to an eyewitness report.
Gummi, Zamfara State – At least 41 people are feared dead following a boat mishap in Gummi town, the headquarters of Gummi Local Government Area, Zamfara State.
The tragic incident occurred early Saturday morning when a boat carrying 53 farmers capsized.
An eyewitness and resident of Gummi, Abubakar Muhammad, reported that the farmers were on their way to their farms when the boat capsized.
Muhammad stated that only 12 of the passengers, including the boat’s captain, were rescued, while the remaining 41 were found dead.
“When the boat capsized, I was nearby and saw the incident unfold,” Muhammad told PUNCH. “We did our best to rescue those onboard, but unfortunately, only 12 were brought out alive, including the captain. The bodies of the other 41 passengers were recovered from the water.”
The Sole Administrator of Gummi Local Government Area, Alhaji Na’Allah Musa, confirmed the accident, attributing the tragedy to overloading. He revealed that the boat captain had warned the passengers about the danger of overcrowding, but they refused to disembark.
“The captain did everything possible to reduce the number of passengers, but no one wanted to be left behind,” Musa said. “As a result, the boat capsized shortly after it set off. Four of the passengers managed to swim to safety, while others were rescued by emergency operators. Sadly, many lives were lost, and the exact number of fatalities is yet to be determined as the search for missing passengers continues.”
Authorities have since launched an investigation into the Zamfara boat mishap, while efforts to recover the remaining missing bodies are ongoing.
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