29 dead as boat sinks in north-central Nigeria: rescuers

LAGOS - At least 29 people died in Nigeria when a boat sank as it ferried 80 people across a river in the north-central Niger state, rescuers said on Wednesday.

The accident occurred Tuesday on the Malale River, Abubakar Idris, a Red Cross representative, told AFP.

"The cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stump," said the State Emergency Management Agency in a statement.

SEMA said 29 bodies were recovered, two are still missing, and 50 people were rescued.

The boat was on its way from the village of Tugan Sule to Dugga.

Accidents are common on Nigeria's busy rivers, usually caused by overloaded boats, poor maintenance, or failure to comply with safety regulations.