
Audio By Carbonatix
Twenty-nine people have been rescued after a boat carrying about 130 people from Nigeria to Gabon sank, rescue officials say.The vessel was initially said to have been carrying 160 people but officials say the real number was slightly lower.There are unconfirmed reports that some of those on board were illegal migrants looking for work in oil-rich Gabon.Such trips on wooden boats last for days, with little concern for safety, and accidents are said to be common.The first two survivors were found clinging to a gas cylinder.One of them, Kieve Sani, 27, from Togo told the AFP news agency that four people had originally been holding on to the cylinder but two, including the captain, had been unable to retain their grip."As time went by [the captain] could not continue and told us he was going," Mr Sani said from hospital in Calabar.The head of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, Vincent Aquah, said a further 27 survivors were in the remote town of Oron in Akwa Ibom state, where the boat had picked up more passengers after setting off from Benin on Friday.It capsized about 40 nautical miles (74km) offshore, officials say.Mr Aquah said only nine bodies had been recovered so far but a local doctor told Reuters news agency he had received 45 bodies.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
Kpando MP highlights progress on road projects
2 minutes -
Government secures $92m for Engineering and Agriculture University
8 minutes -
Several Ghana-bound vegetable trucks detained in Nigeria
1 hour -
Black Sherif questions Wendy Shay’s absence in “Artiste of the Year” talks ahead of TGMA 2026
2 hours -
Government confirms arrival of 100 new buses to ease transport challenges
3 hours -
$600m tomato imports undermining Ghana’s economy — Chamber of Agribusiness
4 hours -
Rainstorm wreaks havoc: Faulty transformers, feeder failures leave parts of 3 regions without power
4 hours -
CUTS International calls for urgent competition law amid sachet water price hikes
5 hours -
‘I never did this advert’, AI clones hijack Ghanaian identities for profit
5 hours -
25-year-old woman battles trauma after surviving deadly Nkwanta attack
5 hours -
Vice President honoured at Tortsogbeza as South Tongu leaders highlight development needs
5 hours -
Kwahu Business Forum 2026: Corporate citizenship, sustaining African businesses take centre stage with KGL as the case study
7 hours -
Trump seeks $152m to reopen notorious Alcatraz prison
9 hours -
Ex-Chelsea player Oscar retires with heart issue
9 hours -
CA Foundation drives constitutional literacy in Kpone Katamanso municipality
9 hours