Over 100 feared missing after boat sinks in western DR Congo
Tuesday August 20 2024
Only a few dozen survived, and several bodies have been found, said local media reports. PHOTO | SHUTTERSTOCK
More than 100 people are feared missing after a boat sank Sunday in the western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), local media reported Tuesday.
According to local officials, the boat sank at around 7 pm, local time, on the Lukenie River, Mai-Ndombe Province, after hitting pieces of wood underwater, with approximately 300 people on board.
Only a few dozen survived, and several bodies have been found, said local media reports, citing officials who claimed it "hard to clarify on the number of the casualties."
Read: DRC ship capsizes in Lake Tanganyika, 10 missing
Nkoso Kevani Lebon, governor of Mai-Ndombe, said he was dismayed by the tragedy, promising an investigation into the incident to establish responsibilities.
"We must have secure boats. This is part of our program, and in a few months, there will already be secure boats. A team, composed of members of the provincial security committee, is on its way to establish responsibilities," said the governor.
In June, at least 86 people, including 21 children, were killed after a boat sank on the Kwa River, one of the tributaries of the Congo River, also in the province of Mai-Ndombe.