Another 20 killed as boat capsizes on River Niger, Several missing
Twenty people died, including 15 young children, when a boat on the Niger river broke up overnight near the central Malian city of Mopti, officials said Saturday, adding that another 23 people were missing.
The vessel reportedly broke up near Konna whilst en route north from the town of Mopti to Timbuktu in Mali.
Over 200 people are known to have survived the accident, but it is not clear how many are still missing.
According to some officials the boat was overloaded with goods and may have carried as many as 400 passengers.
The boat broke at the stern on a branch of the river near the village of Koubi, with some 210 survivors, Commander Dramane Diallo of the rescue services reportedly told the public.
He said the reason for the boat overturning was unknown but an investigation is under way. Dozens of people are still feared missing, but there are conflicting reports over the exact numbers.
An eyewitness, Ibrahim Yattara, who was asleep with his pregnant wife onboard the boat when it sunk, said it collapsed because it was overloaded with cargo.
“With the excess weight it broke into two pieces. I started to swim and looked for my wife but after a while the boat was completely under water.”
Officials have warned the death count may rise, as recovery operations continued late into Saturday afternoon.
Many Malians opt to travel by water, often in rudimentary canoes, due to poor road conditions in the north and the relatively high cost of overland travel.
