Three persons onboard a boat have gone missing after the boat conveying them capsized on the stretch of river Benue in Dampar, Ibi local government area of Taraba state.
Nigeriacrime.com learned that the boat was conveying its occupants to a local market in the area on Thursday before the accident.
According to one of the survivors, that boat capsized after it collided with a tree shrub covered by the river.
While other occupants were successfully rescued, three persons are reportedly missing as search and rescue operation was still ongoing.
The Chairman of Ibi LGA, Bala Bako also confirmed the incident.
In a related development, a local boat- MV Tari conveying goods and passengers from Yenagoa to communities on the Atlantic fringe of Brass in Brass Local Government Area on Thursday capsized near Okoroma in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The boat mishap, it was learned, occurred at about 1:30 pm at a sharp bend along the winding waterways in the hinterland of the state.
Nigeriacrime.com learned that the ill-fated boat was said to have departed the Swali jetty in Yenagoa filled with passengers and goods in the morning for Okpoama on Brass Island when news later filtered into town of the tragic incident.
Though the cause of the mishap could not be immediately ascertained multiple sources blamed the accident on overloading.
Assistant Secretary of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Okpoama unit, Tari Stanley Dikuma who was part of the rescue operation at the site of the mishap said no life was lost but goods worth millions of Naira were lost and some items were rescued.
“So far we have not recorded any casualty but we have salvaged a lot of items with speed boats, badges and open boats,” he said.
Last year, a similar boat MV Believer also sank near Okoroma on the Atlantic fringe.
Also, speaking, chairman of the state Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, pigansi Ogoniba confirmed the development.
He however said information at his disposal was hazy but that a rescue team had been dispatched to the area.