125 rescued, 4 fead, 9 confirmed missing in Benue boat mishap

The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (Benue-SEMA) on Monday confirmed the death of four passengers in Saturday’s boat mishap on River Katsina-Ala in Buruku Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

Mr Tema Ager, Head of Information Unit, Benue-SEMA, confirmed the figure in a phone interview with newsmen in Makurdi.

Ager said 125 passengers had so far been rescued, while more than nine others remained missing as rescue operations continued.

He said the figures were provisional, noting that relevant agencies were still reconciling information from survivors, relatives and community leaders to establish the exact number of passengers aboard the boat.

According to him, about 138 people were believed to have been involved in the incident, while 38 motorcycles were also reportedly conveyed on the ill-fated boat.

He said divers had been deployed to search for missing persons and recover submerged motorcycles, adding that five motorcycles had so far been recovered while 33 remained at the scene.

Ager said the rescue operation had been challenging due to difficult river conditions and the presence of submerged motorcycles and other materials.

He appealed to river users to always wear life jackets and comply with safety instructions, saying the search and rescue operation would continue until the status of all persons believed to have been aboard the boat was established.