At least 46 bodies have been recovered while 15 passengers were rescued alive following a boat accident in Gorau community, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, the state Police Command has confirmed.

🇳🇬 Here's What Happened

The accident occurred on Thursday when a boat carrying 77 passengers , including men, women and children, reportedly capsized while conveying farmers and other passengers to their rice farms.

Confirming the incident, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said rescue operations were still ongoing for the remaining 16 passengers.

Rufai said the rescue team comprised local divers, officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, the State Emergency Management Agency and the Police.

📌 Key Details

He said, “Forty-six corpses have so far been recovered, while 15 persons were rescued alive. The rescue team, comprising local divers, NEMA, SEMA and the Police, is still searching for the remaining 16 persons.”

The police spokesman added that “77 persons were on board the boat at the time of the incident.”

The cause of the accident was not immediately known, while rescue operations continued as of the time of filing this report.

The development has thrown Gorau community into mourning, with families anxiously waiting for information about their loved ones.

A resident of the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the accident occurred Thursday morning and that local divers and emergency responders immediately began searching for survivors.

The resident said, “Only a few people were initially reported rescued, while several bodies were recovered from the water. Rescue efforts are ongoing as local divers and emergency responders continue searching for those still missing.”

📰 Source: Punch Nigeria