Hippopotamus Overturns Boat: Eleven Missing in Ivory Coast

In a tragic incident in southwestern Ivory Coast, a hippopotamus overturned a boat, leaving eleven individuals unaccounted for, among them children and an infant.

Myss Belmonde Dogo, the minister responsible for national cohesion and solidarity, confirmed the missing were composed of women, young girls, and a baby.

The mishap occurred as the boat, which resembled a canoe, navigated the Sassandra River near Buyo town on a Friday.

Three passengers managed to escape the perilous situation and have been rescued. Meanwhile, efforts continue in search of the others who have yet to be found.

A previous study from 2022 by local university scholars highlighted that hippos are frequently involved in fatal human encounters within the country.

In Ivory Coast, approximately 500 hippos inhabit the southern rivers, with the Sassandra and Bandama waterways being primary zones.

Boat Safety Concerns

Boat-related incidents are not rare in this region. Often, handmade boats are used to link communities along water routes, and these vessels can become dangerously overloaded.

A previous tragedy in April resulted in the drowning of several youths when their boat capsized in a lagoon near Abidjan, the major city.

Global Context of Hippo Attacks

Annual fatalities attributed to hippos are estimated to start at 500 worldwide.  

For instance, in June 2024, a woman from New Jersey lost her life during a hippo attack while on a safari in Zambia. Shortly thereafter her spouse took legal action against the organizing American company.

In another case from 2023, a hippo attack in Malawi led to the death of seven individuals after the animal overturned their canoe.

A similar event in 2018 saw the loss of life in Kenya when a Chinese tourist, along with a local fisherman, perished following a hippo encounter.