In a tragic face-off with a wild hippopotamus in the Ivory Coast, 11 passengers riding in a packed boat went missing after it was overturned by the wild beast during the encounter. The boat was carrying 14 passengers in total, out of which 11 are missing, including an infant, children, and women as well. The incident occurred in the southwestern Ivory Coast on Friday. Reportedly, the boat was navigating the Sassandra River near the town of Buyo.
According to the reports, the boat carrying 14 passengers was struck and overturned by an enraged hippo at the Sassandra River in the Ivory Coast. West African country’s Minister of Cohesion and Solidarity, Myss Belmonde Dogo, took to her social media platform, Facebook, to share the details of the incident.
Take A Look At The Statement By Myss Belmonde Dogo:
Her translated statement reads, "It is with deep sorrow that we learned that 11 people, including women, girls, and an infant, have gone missing following a boat capsized caused by a hippo. Of the 14 occupants on the boat, at the moment, 3 survivors (have been found). Search continues in hopes of finding missing victims."
Further, she added, "Saddened by this tragedy which has shocked us all, the Government of Côte d'Ivoire shares the grief of the parents and loved ones of the missing persons and expresses its #solidarity with the survivors."
Rescue Operations Ongoing:
Rescue operations are still going on for the missing passengers, while there are no reports of any bodies found till now. Officials emphasized that efforts are ongoing.
ALSO READ: At Least 40 Feared Missing As Boat Overturns In Northwestern Nigeria
At least 40 people are missing after a boat capsized on a river in northwestern Nigeria, authorities said.
The accident happened around the Goronyo area in Sokoto state while the boat was transporting passengers to a market, Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency said in a statement late Sunday.
The emergency agency said only 10 people have been rescued as teams continue search and rescue efforts in the area.
