Mostly children: At least 50 dead, scores missing after boat capsizes

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- Emergency services recovered dozens of bodies in the Goronyo area of Sokoto state after a boat carrying farm labourers capsized on Thursday morning

- At least 40 children were among the dead, according to an official from the National Inland Waterways Authority

- Witnesses saw 50 bodies laid out at a local mosque, as rescue efforts continued and casualty figures remained uncertain

At least 50 people, the majority of them children, have been killed after an overloaded boat capsized in the Goronyo area of Sokoto state in northwestern Nigeria on Thursday morning.

Emergency responders were deployed to the scene to recover bodies and search for survivors. A Reuters witness observed 50 bodies arranged in the forecourt of a community mosque, many wrapped in mats and traditional cloths in preparation for burial.

Victims Were Heading to Farm Work

Abdulkadir Yusuf, an area manager at the National Inland Waterways Authority, confirmed that rescue operations were still under way and said the bodies of 40 children had been recovered.

The exact number of passengers on board remained unclear, with estimates ranging from 57 to as many as 80. Most were travelling to harvest rice and work on farms near the town of Gorau.

Resident Samaila Garba, 55, lost his 13-year-old granddaughter, Jamila Usman, in the disaster.

"You know, during the rainy season, most women and children go to work on the farm," he said, as quoted by the Associated Press.

Another resident said the vessel had been carrying both farm owners and hired labourers who had set out for the harvest.

Mustapha Umar, director of relief and rehabilitation at the state emergency management agency, confirmed that officials had been dispatched to the site and said the agency would release further details in due course.

Deadly Waterway Accidents Persist in Nigeria

The precise waterway on which the accident occurred has not been confirmed, though the Rima River runs through the area. A nearby dam has created a broad stretch of open water known as the Goronyo Reservoir.

Nigeria's waterways have a long record of fatal accidents, driven by overcrowding, poor vessel maintenance and weak enforcement of safety regulations. The risk is highest during the rainy season, which typically runs from May or June through September and peaks around August.

In January, a separate capsizing in the northeastern state of Yobe claimed the lives of at least 25 people.

In a related devlopment, TUKO.co.ke earlier reported that at least 15 people died after an overloaded ferry capsized on Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.