In the southern Nigerian state of Anambra, a boat tragedy has claimed at least 76 lives.
The boat sank on Friday in the Ogbaru region of Anambra state while transporting at least 80 people, the most of whom were women and children trying to get to safety after their town had been swamped by floodwater.
In the wake of the “tragic” disaster, President Muhammadu Buhari sent his condolences to the families of the victims. In order to ensure that future occurrences like this are prevented, he urged government organisations to “examine the safety protocols on these transport ships.”
Additionally, he mandated a review of safety protocols for the nation’s water transportation network and stated that emergency services must take all necessary steps to locate the missing.
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Before it capsized, the boat’s passengers were reportedly travelling to Ogbakuba’s Nkwo market. According to some officials, the boat had an engine failure, hit a bridge, and capsized.
The National Emergency Management Agency’s south-east coordinator, Thickman Tanimu, told the AFP news agency that the water level is too high and dangerous for a successful search and rescue effort.
The governor of Anambra, Charles Soludo, stated that the incident had shocked both locals and the state’s government and sent his condolences to the families of the deceased.
