The recovery operation began on Thursday morning.
Shortly after the tragedy which took place in the town of Sambéra in Niger, the rescue services, assisted by fishermen, were able to pluck 64 passengers from the sinking boat, which was probably overloaded.
According to accounts by witnesses, the boat, which was ferrying traders and their goods, had left the village of Gorou Béri in the Beninese commune of Karimama heading to the Ouna market in Niger.
According to the first deputy mayor of Karimama, Igouma Douhramane, citing its captain, the boat capsized 200 metres from its destination, battered by violent winds that are currently blowing on the River Niger.