(LONDON) — The death toll from a capsized boat that was carrying wedding guests in Nigeria has risen to more than 100, authorities said Wednesday.
The wooden boat overturned early Monday as it was ferrying about 300 people, including children, across a river to Kwara state from neighboring Niger state after a wedding in the remote village of Egboti, according to Ajayi Okasanmi, spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force’s Kwara State Command. Authorities weren’t alerted for hours since the incident occurred before dawn in complete darkness, Okasanmi said.
A search and rescue operation continued until Wednesday. Okasanmi told ABC News that 103 people have been confirmed dead.
Many of the passengers were residents of villages within the Patigi district of Kwara state, according to Kwara Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s office, which issued a statement offering “heartfelt condolences” to the victims’ families.
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