Abuja, Oct 2 (IANS): About 150 people have been rescued as of Wednesday morning after going missing in a boat accident in Niger State in central Nigeria, late Tuesday, according to an official.

The rescued individuals were aboard a wooden boat carrying approximately 300 passengers, mostly women and children, when it capsized on the River Niger upstream Jebba Dam in the Mokwa local government area, said Abdullahi Baba-Arah, Director-General of the Niger State emergency management agency.

The successful rescue of the 150 was attributed to the quick response from volunteers, including local divers, and local authorities have ramped up their search and rescue operations for the people still unaccounted for, Baba-Arah said.

The victims were returning from a religious celebration in another community in Niger State when the accident occurred. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, Baba-Arah said, Xinhua news agency reported.

Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, often due to overloading, adverse weather conditions, and operational errors.