Buruku boat mishap: Benue government coordinates rescue, 6 passengers feared dead, others missing

At least six persons are feared dead and several others missing after a wooden boat conveying passengers and vehicles from the Logo axis to Buruku capsised at a river crossing in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.

The boat, reportedly carrying more than 45 passengers alongside vehicles loaded with goods, was said to have overturned midway into the journey on Saturday morning.

Preliminary information from the Benue state government indicated that a strong water current swept the boat into an abandoned barge at a bend in the river, causing it to tumble.

The Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Denis Ter Iyaghigba, said the ministry had commenced efforts to coordinate the search and rescue operation.

In a statement on Saturday, Iyaghigba urged families of those who might have been aboard the boat to remain calm and await verified information from the relevant authorities.

He directed boat operators and their union downstream to mobilise and support the ongoing rescue operation, adding that further details would be released as the operation progressed.

Earlier reports from eyewitnesses indicated that about 35 passengers had been rescued, while six persons, reportedly including students returning to schools in Gboko and neighbouring communities, were feared drowned.

The eyewitnesses attributed the mishap to overloading and the use of wooden boats at night, alleging that the boat had been carrying passengers and vehicles beyond its safe capacity.

One of the accounts also claimed that some passengers returning from burial and some students had delayed their journey to allow politicians returning from a thanksgiving service to cross first, forcing them to travel after nightfall when visibility was poor.

Many motorcycles were also loaded on the boat a situation that was beyond its carrying capacity, Blueprint.ng reports.

The latest incident has renewed concerns over safety at the Buruku crossing, where authorities have previously announced measures including compulsory life jackets, a ban on overloading and restrictions on night-time boat operations.