At least 22 people have died after two boats collided on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the provincial interior minister told Reuters, while local reports citing the minister put the death toll at 30 with dozens missing and search efforts continuing.
What Happened
The collision occurred near the town of Ngombe in Lukolela territory in western Equateur province at around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday, provincial interior minister Crispin Mputu told Reuters.
The collision involved two vessels travelling on the river. One was a commercial boat operating between Kinshasa and Mbandaka, while the other was a passenger riverboat travelling from Mongala province to Kinshasa. The impact caused the passenger boat to sink; a security source told Reuters it had 163 passengers on board.
According to Reuters, 22 bodies have been recovered and buried, while 59 people were rescued. The minister added that other victims might have been buried elsewhere. The sunken vessel remains submerged at a depth of 12 meters, and recovery efforts were continuing on Monday evening.
The Associated Press, meanwhile, reported the minister saying the 30 killed in the crash have already been buried and that dozens were missing, with search efforts continuing. The reason for the crash was not immediately clear, though the minister said nighttime boat navigation has led to many accidents in the past.
A Recurring Tragedy
River transport is the main form of travel and trade in much of western Congo, where towns and cities are located along the Congo River, but accidents are common because vessels are often overcrowded and poorly maintained. Deadly boating disasters are frequent in the country, where late-night travel, overcrowded vessels, poor safety standards and lack of infrastructure in remote areas have contributed to hundreds of deaths in recent years.
Sources:
At least 22 dead after two boats collide on Congo River, official says - Reuters
What Happened
The collision occurred near the town of Ngombe in Lukolela territory in western Equateur province at around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday, provincial interior minister Crispin Mputu told Reuters.
The collision involved two vessels travelling on the river. One was a commercial boat operating between Kinshasa and Mbandaka, while the other was a passenger riverboat travelling from Mongala province to Kinshasa. The impact caused the passenger boat to sink; a security source told Reuters it had 163 passengers on board.
According to Reuters, 22 bodies have been recovered and buried, while 59 people were rescued. The minister added that other victims might have been buried elsewhere. The sunken vessel remains submerged at a depth of 12 meters, and recovery efforts were continuing on Monday evening.
The Associated Press, meanwhile, reported the minister saying the 30 killed in the crash have already been buried and that dozens were missing, with search efforts continuing. The reason for the crash was not immediately clear, though the minister said nighttime boat navigation has led to many accidents in the past.
A Recurring Tragedy
River transport is the main form of travel and trade in much of western Congo, where towns and cities are located along the Congo River, but accidents are common because vessels are often overcrowded and poorly maintained. Deadly boating disasters are frequent in the country, where late-night travel, overcrowded vessels, poor safety standards and lack of infrastructure in remote areas have contributed to hundreds of deaths in recent years.
Sources:
At least 22 dead after two boats collide on Congo River, official says - Reuters