29 die, 7 hospitalised after boat capsizes in Kano, Nigeria

The emergency response team spokesperson, Saminu Abdullahi, said the boat had 49 people on board. [Courtesy]

Twenty-nine (29) people, including 20 pupils, died in Kano, north west Nigeria, after an overloaded boat capsized on Tuesday.

Seven other learners, who were rescued, were taken to hospital in critical conditions, authorities said.

The emergency response team spokesperson, Saminu Abdullahi, said the boat had 49 people on board.

On Tuesday, emergency response team retrieved 20 bodies, with an additional nine more bodies found on Wednesday morning, the BBC reported.

The number of survivors, however, remained at seven.

Most of the boat accident victims were Islamic school pupils aged between six and twelve (12). They were travelling to a religious ceremony in the town of Bagwai, the BBC reported.

Authorities in Kano State were yet to issue a formal statement on the cause of the accident.

This incident comes six months after a boat tragedy in Kebbi, a north western State in Nigeria, resulted in the deaths of at least 76 people.

During the May 27 incident, a wooden boat transporting more than 100 people, sank, causing the tens of fatalities and injuries.