More than 150 people go missing in a shipwreck in Nigeria

More than 150 people are missing when the boat carrying some 180 passengers sank, a hundred more than authorized, in the Niger River in northwestern Nigeria, announced local authorities, who fear that all have drowned..

The boat covered the route between the central state of Niger and Wara, in the northwest of the state of Kebbi, local waterways official Yusuf Birma told reporters.. “The capacity of the ship was much less than the 180 passengers it was carrying,” he added.. “At this time, only 20 people have been found alive, four have died and 156 are still missing,” he said..

President Muhammadu Buhari called the accident “devastating” and sent his condolences to the families, although he did not specify the exact number of victims in the statement..

Boat accidents are common in Nigerian waters due to overloading or lack of maintenance, especially in the rainy season, but this Wednesday's may be one of the most serious in recent times.

Birma said the passengers were heading to a market in Malele, in Niger state's local government district, when the ship sank an hour into the journey.. “The affected wooden ship was old and fragile but these people (the crew) did not listen when we told them to reduce the number of passengers they carry on the boats,” he said..

District Administrator Abdullahi Buhari Wara blamed the accident on passenger overload as the boat's capacity was for a maximum of 80 people.. The boat was also carrying bags of sand from a gold mine, he said.. Earlier this month, 30 people drowned in another shipwreck, also in Niger state.. The boat carrying 100 local traders broke in two when it hit a log in the middle of a storm as they were returning from a local market, according to emergency officials. The Niger is the main river in West Africa, running from Guinea to the Niger Delta in Nigeria and is a vital trade route for some of the countries through which it flows.