At least 32 people, including women and children, are feared dead after a boat carrying 40 passengers capsized in Gummi town, Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The tragic incident occurred early Saturday, September 14, 2024, when the overloaded boat collided with an empty vessel on the Mashayar Yan Tauri River.
Safiyanu Dan Iya, a resident of Gummi, told newsmen that the accident took place around 10 a.m. “The boat was overloaded and collided with an empty boat, leading to the tragic capsizing,” he said. He added that rescue efforts began almost immediately, but only a few passengers were saved.
READ ALSO: Strange Disease: Zamfara Govt. Confirms 4 Deaths, 177 Cases
Another resident, Shehu Aminu Gummi, described the grim situation, saying that it took nearly two hours for survivors to emerge from the water.
“The boat capsized around 10 a.m., and the survivors appeared around midday,” he said, adding that despite rescue efforts continuing until 8 p.m., no additional passengers were found, either dead or alive.
The Sarkin Fadar Gummi, Alhaji Mahmud S. Fada, confirmed that eight people were rescued, while the remaining passengers have yet to be accounted for. “Apart from the eight survivors, we have not seen anybody again. As of now, no corpse has been discovered,” he stated.
READ ALSO: Zamfara Begins Payment Of N30,000 Minimum Wage Five Years After
Search and rescue teams were dispatched to nearby rivers in Gayari, Dugwai, and Bandoki villages, but no bodies have been recovered so far. The Sarkin Ruwa of Gummi, the local water authority, has ordered that the search be temporarily halted, suggesting that the bodies of the victims may only resurface by Sunday.
The incident highlights the dangers of overloading boats, a common practice among boat commuters in the state. Authorities have yet to comment on any potential investigation into the cause of the accident.