MANY feared dead as a boat carrying over 100 passengers capsized mid water at Benue river on Saturday.
This newspaper learnt that 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 LGA.
The boat left Mayoreneyo local jetty at about 3:30pm and capsized 40 minutes later, according to sources.
A resident of Mayoreneyo, Musa Mayoreneyo, told this newspaper that 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 jacket when the incident occurred.
Acting chairman of inland water transporters in Taraba state, Jidda Mayoreneyo, told this newspaper that about 15 bodies were recovered close to the scene.
Confirming the incident, Chairman, caretaker committee of Ardo-Kola, Alhaji Dalhatu Kawu, described it as tragic.
When contacted, Police spokesman in Taraba, SP Abdullahi Usman, said he was yet to receive report of incident.
