A boat capsized in Congo’s northwest, resulting in the death of at least 27 people, with over 70 others missing. The incident occurred on Friday night in the city of Mbandaka in Equateur Province. The boat, which was locally made, was carrying more than 100 passengers along the Congo River to the town of Bolomba. Rescue efforts are currently underway to find survivors. Taylor Nganzi, the deputy provincial governor, confirmed that 27 bodies have been recovered and transported to the morgue. An investigation into the cause of the accident has been initiated.
The New Civil Society of Congo, a local civil society group, reported a higher death toll of 49 people, attributing the accident to engine failure. Jean-Pierre Wangela, the group’s president, expressed that everything started sinking. Discrepancies in death tolls are common in incidents like these in Congo and could not be immediately reconciled.
Volunteers are assisting rescuers in the search for survivors and bodies, while families grieve for their loved ones who were victims of the tragedy. Nganzi stated that they are overseeing the search operations alongside the river services, accompanied by the families of the victims.
Boat accidents are frequent on the Congo River and the nation’s lakes due to the use of makeshift boats that are often overloaded. In the northwest region of the country, the majority of the population relies on rivers for transportation due to a lack of adequate roads and cost-effectiveness.
Although the Congolese government has banned night travel nationwide to prevent accidents, many individuals still disregard the directive.
By Jean-yves Kamale