A hippopotamus capsized a boat carrying 14 people on the Sassandra River in southwestern Ivory Coast, leaving 11 missing including women, girls and an infant, authorities confirmed.
The incident occurred near the town of Buyo on Friday when the wild hippo overturned the vessel. Ivory Coast's Minister of Cohesion and Solidarity Myss Belmonde Dogo stated only three survivors have been confirmed so far, with search and rescue operations continuing.
Dogo expressed the government's distress over the tragedy and solidarity with the victims' families. The minister did not provide additional details about the passengers' ages beyond confirming women, girls and an infant were among the missing.
Hippos are recognized as the most common cause of fatal animal attacks in Ivory Coast according to 2022 university research. Worldwide, hippopotamus attacks kill an estimated 500 people annually.
Boat accidents remain relatively common in Ivory Coast where handcrafted vessels frequently transport passengers and goods between riverside communities.
