Nine bodies including four children were recovered at the site where an engine boat carrying 140 persons sank along River Benue close to Ibbi in Taraba state last week.
Daily Trust gathered that the recovery of the dead bodies followed a week long search by local divers at the scene of the incident near Ibbi town in Taraba state.
One of the divers, Musa Ibbi, told our reporter that the bodies were recovered at the bed of the river, not far from where the overloaded boat sank.
He said several bags of maize, paddy rice and baskets of dried fish and other items belonging to the passengers were also recovered.
The chairman of Ibbi local government council, Mr. Bala Bako, confirmed the recovery of the nine bodies.
He said boat owners were warned against overloading and travelling in the night which he said was responsible for most boat mishap in the area.
Daily Trust findings revealed that engine boat and flying boat owners operate in inland waters of Taraba without regulations and safety measures, a situation that poses danger to thousands of people that rely on water transport in the state.
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