No fewer than 20 people, mostly Nigerians, have been confirmed dead in a boat mishap within Cameroonian territorial waters.
The ill-fated vessel had set out from Garwa and was heading to Yola in Adamawa State when the tragedy occurred.
It was gathered that the boat, carrying more than 50 passengers, was overloaded with iron rods and other building materials and was bound for Dasin in the Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Locals within the Nigerian territorial waters said the boat departed late on Monday night despite repeated appeals for the operators to postpone the trip until the following morning, advice that was ignored.
According to the residents, the boat ran into a storm around midnight and capsized, killing more than 30 people on board.
So far, 18 of the victims have been recovered and buried in Wuro Boki in Fufore, while the search for others is continuing. Locals said a search party of divers from both countries had been combing the waters for more bodies, with some survivors receiving treatment in hospitals across Nigeria and Cameroonian border communities.
When contacted, the Nigeria Police Marine unit in Adamawa said the incident had happened outside the country’s shores. Trade ties between Nigeria and Cameroun have continued to strengthen, particularly across the maritime border towns and villages.
Source: Vanguard.
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