Ivory Coast: Hippopotamus Capsizes Boat – Children and Infant Missing

Eleven people are missing in southwestern Ivory Coast after a hippopotamus capsized a small boat on the Sassandra River. The Ministry of Solidarity announced that the missing include women, young girls, and an infant.

Minister Myss Belmonde Dogo stated on her Facebook page that the accident occurred near the Bouyo community on Friday. Three people were rescued, and the search continues for the missing.

According to a 2022 study, hippos are the most frequent cause of animal-related deaths and injuries in Ivory Coast. It is estimated that there are approximately 500 hippos in the country, mainly in the Sassandra and Bandama rivers.

Shipwrecks are common in the area, mainly due to overloading of boats. In April, twelve children and teenagers drowned in a similar accident near Abidjan.

Source: cnn.gr