An overloaded passenger boat capsized in southern Nigeria, killing at least 20 people, though emergency workers were able to rescue a number of others alive, officials said Wednesday. The wooden boat was travelling between an area called Eagle Island and Mgbuodohia of Rivers state in the Niger Delta, a vast swampy region in southern Nigeria, when it capsized on Tuesday night.
"NEMA rescue officials confirm that so far three people rescued alive while 20 bodies recovered," said Yushau Shuaib, spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency. "The boat was overloaded with passengers, some standing." Another NEMA official gave varying figures of between four and 10 people rescued alive. It was estimated that 40 or more people were aboard the boat at the time of the accident.
Mgbuodohia community official Chima Amadi told AFP the boat was the only reliable means of transport to central Port Harcourt, an oil industry hub and the main city in the area, because of the bad condition of roads. "More than 40 passengers were on the boat," he said. "It is quite painful and sad. We have arranged for the community youths to assist in the rescuing of the victims."