According to reports, at least 20 people, including a baby, died after a boat carrying over 300 people capsized on a river in western Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the weekend.
The Lukenie River, in the Kutu area of Mai-Ndombe province, was the site of a tragic incident when a motorised wooden vessel capsized overnight from Saturday to Sunday.
According to Jacques Nzenza, the district administrator of Kutu, the boat, which was overloaded with about 300 passengers and goods, struck some wood and sank as it was en route to the town of Nioki.
“Yesterday we found four bodies and today 16 more were retrieved, including a nine-month-old baby,” he said, adding that the search was continuing.
River and lake journeys are typical in the expansive central African nation due to the limited accessible roads.
“We are constantly reminding everyone that it is forbidden to sail at night because it is very dangerous,” Nzenza said.
The month of July saw the death of at least 25 people when a boat sank in the Congo River located in the eastern province of Maniema. In 2019, 100 people died in a wreck on Lake Kivu.