Most of 108 drowning victims in Nigeria boat accident were women and children
CTV
Most of the 108 people who drowned after a boat broke apart in north-central Nigeria were women and their children, survivors and local authorities told The Associated Press on Thursday as search efforts ended.
Most of the 108 people who drowned after a boat broke apart in north-central Nigeria were women and their children, survivors and local authorities told The Associated Press on Thursday as search efforts ended.
The wooden boat was carrying more than 250 people across the Niger River in Kwara state as they returned home from a late-night wedding when the craft hit a log and split early Monday, survivors said.
One of the survivors, Ibrahim Mohammed, said they carried some little children to shore, "but some of the women did not want to leave their children behind and they drowned."
"Most of the women in that boat had children, (and a) majority of the people dead are women and small children," Mohammed said. He said he rescued three children but lost nine child relatives.
Villagers ended the search operation Thursday afternoon, with the victims all buried near the river in accordance with local customs, he added.
At least 144 people survived the accident on the Niger River, which is one of Africa's longest at about 4,100 kilokilometres500 miles). The boat was meant to carry about 200 people but was holding at least 250, said Mohammed Ibrahim Liman, chair of the Pategi district where the accident happened.
"People rushed to render help, but it was difficult to see the passengers considering how large the river was," Liman told AP. As many as 68 of the dead were from one village, he said.
