Capsizing kills more than 100 people in Congo in the second deadly boat accident this week
Capsizing kills more than 100 people in Congo in the second deadly boat accident this week
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A boat with nearly 500 passengers caught fire and capsized in northwestern Congo, killing 107 people and leaving 146 missing, authorities said Friday, in the region’s second deadly boat accident over the past week.
The latest accident took place Thursday along the Congo River in the Equateur Province’s Lukolela territory, the Congolese humanitarian affairs ministry said in a report.
It came a day after 86 people were killed and several others left missing in a separate boat accident in the province, bringing the total deaths to nearly 200.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A motorized boat capsized in northwestern Congo’s Equateur Province, killing at least 86 people, state media reported Friday.
The state news agency reported that the accident occurred on Wednesday in Basankusu territory, and that most of the victims were students.
It was not immediately clear what caused the accident although state media attributed it to “improper loading and night navigation,” citing reports from the scene.
Images that appear to be from the scene showed villagers gathered around bodies as they mourned.
A local civil society group blamed the accident on the government and claimed the toll was higher. Authorities could not be immediately reached for comment.
The capsizing of boats is becoming increasingly frequent in this central African nation as more people are abandoning the few available roads for cheaper, wooden vessels crumbling under the weight of passengers and their goods.
In such trips, life jackets are rare and the vessels are usually overloaded.
Many of the boats also travel at night, complicating rescue efforts during accidents and leaving many bodies often unaccounted for.
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AP’s Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
By JEAN-YVES KAMALE
Associated Press
