About forty persons were said to have lost their lives on Saturday in a boat mishap in Gummi town, the headquarters of Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The Director of Emergency at the Zamfara State Emergency Management Agency (ZEMA), Hassan Dauran, told Channels Television that the boat was carrying about 50 passengers when the tragic accident occurred.
He said that only few of them were rescued alive at that moment, while the majority of the passengers, mostly women and children could not make it alive.
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An eye witness account said the deceased persons were going to their farms in the early hours of Saturday when the boat capsized and sank into the river.
The eyewitness said there were 53 farmers including children in the boat and only 12 were rescued alive including the captain of the boat and the remaining 41 were dead.
The Emir of Gummi, Justice Hassan Lawal (retired), has commiserated with the families of those who have lost their lives in the incident.
He described the incident as very tragic and prayed Allah to forgive all those who have lost their lives and give their families the fortitude to bear the loss.
The latest incident adds to the ugly trend of boat accidents which has claimed so many lives across Nigeria in recent times.
Just two days ago, two persons reportedly drowned in a boat mishap in the Ipoki Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Similarly, on August 8, five persons died in a canoe accident in Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The incident happened when the canoe carrying twenty passengers capsized while crossing the Gamoda River near Nahuce village.
Also on July 8, one person reportedly died while 18 persons were rescued in tragic boat accident that occurred on the Kwalgai River in Auyo Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
Not to be forgotten is the boat mishap that claimed the life of Nollywood star, Junior Pope Odonwodo in April on his way out of a film location. Other crew member also lost their lives in the accident that threw the Nigerian entertainment industry into mourning.
