A tragic boat accident in western Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of at least 22 people after the overcrowded vessel’s upper deck collapsed, a local official confirmed on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on Tuesday in the Mai-Ndombe province, where a wooden riverboat carrying as many as 100 passengers sank. Among the victims were 15 women, five men, and two children. While many passengers reportedly managed to swim to safety, others remain unaccounted for as search efforts continue.
Boating accidents are a grimly frequent occurrence in Congo, where aging, wooden boats serve as the primary mode of transport between villages. Often overloaded and poorly maintained, these vessels pose significant risks to passengers.
“Until we have safer, metallic boats, we will continue to have shipwrecks. There are thousands of these wooden ones circulating on the waters of Mai-Ndombe,” said provincial governor Lebon Nkoso Kevani. He added that a team of provincial officials had been dispatched to investigate the accident.
Anicet Babanga, a senator representing Mai-Ndombe province, confirmed that around 30 survivors have been identified so far. Authorities are intensifying search operations to determine the fate of the remaining passengers.
This is not the first tragedy of its kind in Congo this year. In October, a boat carrying 278 passengers capsized in Lake Kivu, resulting in at least 78 fatalities.
The latest disaster highlights the urgent need for safer transportation infrastructure in the region. Despite repeated accidents, the lack of modern, metallic boats continues to endanger the lives of travelers who rely on water transport for daily activities.
As rescue and investigation efforts proceed, this incident serves as yet another stark reminder of the risks posed by Congo’s outdated and overcrowded vessels.
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