Abuja, Nigeria, September 4(HS): At least 60 people have been confirmed dead after a crowded passenger boat capsized in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State, local officials reported on Wednesday. The vessel, carrying more than 100 passengers, struck a submerged tree stump near Gausawa community in Borgu Local Government Area while en route from Tungan Sule to Dugga for a condolence visit.

Authorities said the death toll continues to climb as search operations proceed. “The death toll of the boat incident has risen to 60,” local council chairman Abdullahi Baba Ara told Reuters, adding that survivors remain in critical condition and more passengers are still unaccounted for.

According to eyewitnesses, rescue teams and local divers recovered 31 bodies on Tuesday, with several victims buried the same day under Islamic rites. Women and children were reported to be among the majority of the deceased. The Niger State Emergency Management Agency confirmed 29 deaths and 50 rescues but noted that overloading and a collision with a tree stump caused the vessel to overturn.

Boat mishaps are common across Nigeria, particularly during the rainy season, when heavy currents, lax safety measures, and poorly maintained vessels heighten risks for riverine communities.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar