CALABAR, Nigeria (Reuters) - A wooden boat carrying 166 people from southeastern Nigeria capsized about 40 nautical miles off the coast, with only two known survivors, emergency services and local traders said on Tuesday.

The boat left on Friday from the remote town of Oron, in Cross Rivers state, across the Gulf of Guinea and was heading to Gabon, in central Africa, traders said.

David Akate, head of Cross Rivers emergency services, confirmed the incident but said he had no death toll yet.