BOAT ACCIDENT ON NIGER RIVER CLAIMS 13 LIVES NEAR NIGER-BENIN BORDER
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Agency Report
At least 13 people have died after a small boat capsized on the Niger River between the towns of Gaya in Niger and Malanville in Benin, local sources confirmed on Thursday.
The tragedy occurred on Wednesday as the vessel, a pirogue commonly used for river transport in the region, sank while ferrying passengers — mostly Nigerien nationals — across the river. The exact cause of the accident remains unclear, but authorities suspect overloading, a frequent issue with such boats.
“There were 13 killed and some survivors,” a resident of Gaya told AFP. A local search and rescue effort was ongoing as of Thursday, with hopes of finding additional survivors.
Despite the closure of the land border between Niger and Benin by Niger’s military government nearly two years ago over accusations of political destabilization — which Benin denies — river traffic between the two countries has continued unabated, often unregulated.
The latest incident adds to a series of boat tragedies on the Niger River. In August 2023, two people died in a similar accident, while a 2019 sinking claimed at least 43 lives.
Local officials have yet to release an official statement, but residents and press reports say the lack of safety regulations and overcrowding continue to endanger river travel in the region.
AFP
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