At least 27 people reportedly lost their lives and over 100 went missing in Northern Nigeria on Friday after a boat capsized on the banks of the Niger River. The boat was believed to be transporting about 200 passengers to a food market.

It was en route to the neighbouring state of Niger from the state of Kogi when the major accident took place, Ibrahim Audu (Niger State Emergency Management Agency spokesman) told The Associated Press.

According to reports, Kogi State Emergency Services Spokeswoman Sandra Musathe said the emergency rescuers retrieved at least 27 bodies from the river while an ongoing search for missing people is still on. After 12 hours, no survivor was found, she added.

The cause of the sinking is yet to be determined, meanwhile, the local media speculated the boat may have been overloaded. Reports revealed that the rescuers had difficulty locating the place of capsizing for a few hours after Friday’s tragedy.

Such deadly incidents are common in Nigeria and have become a cause for concern these days. Given the challenges of high population, officials find it difficult to enforce safety measures and guidelines for water transportation. The common reasons for boat accidents here include overcrowding and the lack of maintenance.

Also, almost no or limited use of life jackets on trips leads to such major accidents due to lack of availability or cost.