At least 20 people, many of them students returning home after sitting state examinations, have died after a crowded wooden boat sank on a river in central Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the latest of the country’s frequent and deadly water transport disasters.
The boat went down on Friday as it approached the meeting point of the Sankuru and Kasai rivers in Kasai province, according to local authorities and witnesses. Rescue teams recovered at least 20 bodies, while dozens of passengers were pulled from the water.
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“There were 80 survivors and 20 bodies,” Francois Kabula, administrator of Ilebo territory in Kasai province, said.
The exact number of people on board remains unclear. While local officials said at least 100 people were on the vessel, witness Tshikudi Jean told the Associated Press that it was carrying more than 200 passengers, raising fears that the death toll could rise.
Many of those aboard were students travelling home after completing their state examinations, making the tragedy especially devastating for families awaiting their return.
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The cause of the accident has not yet been officially confirmed. However, fatal boat accidents are common in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where overcrowded vessels, poor safety standards and night travel frequently turn journeys into disasters.
Large parts of the country lack reliable roads, leaving millions of people dependent on rivers for transport despite the risks.
“The shipowners in the DRC are only after money and do not care about human lives,” said Francois Malepo, president of the Ilebo civil society organisation, calling for stricter enforcement of safety regulations to prevent further loss of life.
Authorities are continuing search and rescue operations as families wait anxiously for news of missing relatives.
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