No fewer than eighteen people were reported drowned when a boat capsized in the River Buruku in Benue State on Wednesday night.
It was gathered that tragedy struck when people were crossing River Buruku to a community in the Logo Local Government Area of the state when the incident happened.
Over 20 people were said to be in the local boat crossing the river to attend a burial when the boat carrying them capsized.
It was gathered that rescuers were able to recover eighteen corpses, adding that search was still on to recover others.
“It is unfortunate, the people numbering over twenty drowned in River Buruku on Wednesday night when they were crossing the river to a community in Logo.
“You know the local boat we use in this area, motorcycles were also carried alongside the people but unfortunately, the boat capsized.
“The incident happened around 8.30pm,” the source said.
The spokesman for the State Command, DSP Moses Yamu, who confirmed the incident, said that thirteen persons were dead.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Thursday sympathised with families of the victims of the boat accident at the Buruku crossing point of River Buruku.
Governor Ortom, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Anthony Ijohor, SAN, visited the scene of the incident accompanied by the Chairmen of Buruku and Logo local government areas, some commissioners and special advisers.
He described the boat accident as unfortunate and painful, stressing that a similar accident which claimed 17 lives, occurred at the same point five years ago.