A small boat has sunk in the Niger river on the border between Niger and Benin, killing 13 people, local sources told AFP, EDnews reports.

Niger's military rulers have for nearly two years closed the land border to Benin over claims its neighbour is trying to destabilise the west African nation, which Cotonou denies.

But people and goods have continued to cross daily via the river.

"There were 13 killed and some survivors," a resident of the Nigerien border town Gaya said, of Wednesday's sinking. Local press, who reported the same toll, said a search was under way.

"The pirogue (small boat) was carrying essentially Nigeriens. It overturned between Gaya in Niger and the town of Malanville (in Benin)," another Nigerien resident told AFP, who spoke of "around 10 dead".

It is unclear what caused the boat to sink. But such incidents have occurred on the Niger river where small boats known as pirogues are often overloaded.

In August 2023, two of six occupants of a pirogue died after a boat sank.

And in February 2019, at least 43 people including children died when their vessel carrying a cargo of grains as well as dozens of traders sank.