A boat carrying 12 people capsized on April 12, 2026, in Guerima in the Ngoro district, Mbam and Kim division, Center region.
Five people are missing and seven others were rescued in the Mbam River in the commune of Ngoro. The toll is from a boat capsizing in the waterway last Sunday. The passengers, 12 in total, are members of a delegation from the West region. They were returning from a dowry ceremony in Mbam and Kim.
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Testimonies reported by Knews24 indicate that these people crossed the river at the same spot the day before on the ferry, despite the fact that the ferry was undergoing rehabilitation work. On the way back, when they had to cross the waterway again in the opposite direction, they found the ferry on the other side of the bank, on the Bafia side. Faced with the situation, this group of people sent a boat to signal their presence and ask the ferry to facilitate their crossing.
However, the operators asked them to wait for maneuvers to be completed. The delegation did not wait for the ferry’s return and decided to take a boat to reach the other bank. Once in the river, the occupants of the boat asked the boatmen to go upstream to admire the falls and the hippos. During this sudden excursion, the boat capsized, throwing its contents into the water.
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Other boatmen and residents present on the banks were able to rescue seven people. Five others remain missing. They are Choula Ngoungang Brel, Choula Jean Bosco, Fosso Motue Beauté Her Line, Ngounou Linda, and a decorator from Yaoundé. While the search continues, an investigation has been opened to determine the causes of the accident.
