LAGOS, Nigeria (AFP) – A Nigerian river ferry capsized Friday killing at least 27 people and leaving many missing, officials told AFP of the latest in a series of mass drownings on the country’s busy waterways.

The disaster happened on the Niger, near Dambo in Kogi state, at a point where West Africa’s mightiest river can be more than 600 metres (yards) across.

“It’s unclear how many people were on board, people don’t usually keep a record of passengers,” said Sandra Musa, of the state emergency management agency. “Search and rescue is still ongoing for survivors and possible bodies.”

Musa said 27 bodies had been recovered. Kogi State Red Cross spokesman Abubakar Abullahi said the boat reportedly had more than 50 people on board.

Villagers and volunteers downstream of the accident have been urged to be on the lookout for bodies.

“It’s not clear what caused the accident,” Musa said. “It could be from turbulence or from the boat hitting a snag. Boat operators don’t usually have life jackets, so none of the bodies recovered had life jackets on.

“The age of the boat might have played a role. Usually the lifespan of boat is between five and ten years, but you see boats aged 20 years. We will have a better idea of the situation tomorrow.”

Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s office issued a statement lamenting the casualties and urging private boat operators and local authorities to ensure safety improvements.

Ododo, it said, “was particularly concerned that most of the victims were women, petty traders and artisans who are involved in legitimate business activities to earn a living and contribute to the economy of the state.”

Friday’s tragedy was the latest in a series of boat disasters on this stretch of the Niger flowing from the northeastern border towards central Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.

Last month, around a 100 people were feared dead after a boat carrying 300 passengers, many of them women and children, to a Muslim festival in Niger State flipped over in the river.

In September, an overloaded boat sank while carrying more than 50 farmers across the Gummi River in Zamfara state. More than 40 are believed to have died.

In June 2023, more than 100 people died when a river boat carrying around 250 passengers capsized in the north-central state of Kwara, one of the country’s deadliest waterway accidents in years.