Taraba Boat Mishap: 15 Bodies Recovered, Others Missing

Fifteen bodies have been recovered and many more are feared missing as a boat carrying over 100 passengers capsized mid-water at Benue River on Saturday.

According to an online newspaper, PointNews,  traders, women and children, heading for Binnari town in Karim-Lamido local government area of the state were on the ill-fated boat.

Many of the passengers were returning from Mayoreneyo fish market in Ardo-Kola local government area.

The boat left Mayoreneyo local jetty at about 3:30pm and capsized 40 minutes later, according to sources.

A resident of Mayoreneyo, Musa Mayoreneyo, said the ill-fated boat had earlier conveyed the passengers from Binnari to Mayoreneyo.

In a telephone interview, a resident of Binnari, said, “As l am talking to you now, only bodies of two persons were recovered by local divers; all others are missing and feared dead.”

A source at the Mayoreneyo told our reporter that none of the passengers had life jackets when the incident occurred.

The acting chairman of Inland Water Transporters in Taraba State, Jidda Mayoreneyo, said about 15 bodies were recovered close to the scene.

While confirming the incident, the chairman, Caretaker Committee of Ardo-Kola, Alhaji Dalhatu Kawu, described it as tragic.

When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, SP Abdullahi Usman, said he was yet to receive a report of the incident.