At least 86 people have died after a motorized boat overturned in the Basankusu territory of Equateur Province, northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, state media reported on Friday. Most of the victims were students.
The accident occurred on Wednesday, with initial reports attributing the tragedy to “improper loading and night navigation.” Images from the scene showed grieving villagers gathered around the bodies of the dead.
A local civil society group blamed the government for the disaster and claimed the death toll was higher than officially stated. Authorities have not yet commented.
Boat accidents are increasingly common in the DRC, where poor road infrastructure forces many to rely on overcrowded, aging wooden vessels for transport. Life jackets are rarely available, and overloading is routine. Many boats also travel at night, making rescue operations more difficult and often leaving victims unaccounted for.
The incident adds to a growing list of deadly river accidents in the country, highlighting ongoing safety and infrastructure challenges.
+ There are no comments
Add yours