148 people die after boat catches fire in Congo
No fewer than 148 people were feared killed in Democratic Republic of Congo after a motorised woden boat caught fire and capsized.
The boat was said to be carrying as many as 500 passengers, including women and children, when it overturned in the Congo River located in the country’s northwest region on Tuesday.
SOCIETY WATCH reports that boating accidents are common in Congo, where old, wooden vessels are the main form of transport between villages and are often loaded far beyond capacity.
Hundreds of people are estimated to still be missing.
The boat, HB Kongolo, reportedly caught fire near the town of Mbandaka, having left the port of Matankumu for the Bolomba territory.
About 100 survivors were said to be taken to an improvised shelter at the local town hall, while those with burn injuries were taken to local hospitals.
The river commissioner, Compétent Loyoko, said the incident happened when a fire started as a woman was cooking on board the vessel.
Several passengers, including women and children, reportedly died after jumping into the water without being able to swim.
SOCIETY WATCH recalls that in 2024, at least 78 people drowned when a boat with 278 passengers capsized in Lake Kivu, eastern Congo.
