166 feared dead in Nigerian boat accident

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CALABAR, Nigeria, March 20 (UPI) -- A large, wooden boat capsized off the coast of Nigeria and all 166 passengers are feared dead, officials said.

The boat, carrying mostly traders, was traveling from Oron, Nigeria, to Gabon Tuesday when it turned over approximately 40 nautical miles off the coast of Calabar, Nigeria, the witnesses told the news website Crossriverwatch.com.

At least 45 dead bodies from the accident have been turned over to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital mortuary, the website reported.

Ikechukwu Egwu, a marine transporter at the Calabar Inland Waterways, said the victims' bodies were taken to the Nigerian hospital because they are believed to be Nigerians, Leadership Newspapers reported.