At least six persons are reportedly missing following a boat carrying mourners capsized on the Buruku River in Buruku Community Government Area of Benue Status.
The incident occurred regarding 11 am on Saturday as on 70 humans who had attended a burial ceremony were returning to their destination.
The Chairman of Buruku Community Government Area, Raymond Zege, confirmed the incident to journalists on Saturday, saying the victims were mourners from neighbouring Gboko Area Government Area.
Zege said the mourners were travelling by boat when its engine reportedly developed a fault during the time that they were on the river.
He said the occupants struggled to manoeuvre the boat and endure afloat, whilst another boat reportedly came to their rescue.
“They are individuals from Gboko LG; they went for a burial to cross to the other side, but on their route endorse they overloaded the boat and the engine failed. You learn, most of them are not conversant alongside water sounds, and they became panic and in the address began to struggle.
“But prior to they could acquire to the other boat coming to rescue them, they ran into water waves, and the weight of the boat made it sink,” he said.
Zege said extra than 70 individuals were on board, adding that around six had yet to be accounted for.
“There are over 70 individuals on board but we have not seen on six persons,” he said.
The chairman moreover raised concerns concerning compliance using safety measures within commuters, saying authorities had provided life jackets for society employing the river crossing.
He said enforcement had been difficult given that some passengers complained around discomfort and other reasons for not wearing the jackets.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Denis Iyaghigba, said he had received preliminary reports of the boat mishap.
According to him, initial details indicated that a powerful water modern swept the boat into an abandoned barge at a corner of the river, causing it to overturn.
“I wish to assure members of the society, notably families of those who may have been aboard the boat, to stay calm and await verified resource from the fitting authorities. No endeavor will be spared to guarantee their safety.
“I have directed the boat operators and their union downstream to mobilise and help in the current investigate and rescue operation,” the commissioner said in the record.
Source: Six missing as boat carrying Benue mourners capsizes
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