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The search continues Friday for passengers who died after their boat broke down on a river in northern Nigeria’s Kebbi state.
Divers recovered 10 bodies on Wednesday, local officials said.
A boat carrying passengers returning from a farm on the Niger River broke in half as it approached the village of Samanaj in the Kokobesse district.
The district’s political administrator, Yahaya Bello Coco, said it was overloaded with “over capacity” passengers.
“We have recovered 10 passengers with the help of local divers, but the search for 10 missing people continues,” Koko said.
“The 10 missing are presumed to have drowned given their long time in the river.”
More than 80 passengers have been rescued, he added.
Federal and state emergency officials were not immediately available for comment on the incident.
Capsizing is common in Nigerian waterways due to frequent overloads and lack of maintenance.
In May 2021, about 100 traders drowned after their boats burst due to overloading and sank in the same river, Kebbi officials said.
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