6 Children Died by Boat Sinking in Nigeria

Six girls drowned and two are missing after a boat taking them home from working on a farm capsized midstream in northern Nigeria, police said Tuesday.

The boat with 15 girls onboard - aged between 12 and 13 - overturned while ferrying them across the river after working on a rice field in Gunka village in Jigawa state, police spokesman Shiisu Adam said. The accident occurred on Monday night.

"Four more bodies were retrieved today, in addition to the two recovered yesterday," Adam said, adding seven passengers were rescued. The search for the remaining two passengers is underway.

Adam blamed the accident on sailing in the dark amid surging water levels, strong currents, windstorm and disregard for safety measures. He also said the passengers had no life jackets.

The skipper swam to safety and is on the run. Police began a search and said he would face charges of "negligence and non-adherence to established safety rules."

Boat capsizings are common on the waterways of Africa's most populous country, particularly during the annual rainy season and are often due to overloading, poor safety, and lack of vessel maintenance.