At Least 86 People, Mostly Students, are Killed as a Boat Capsizes in the Congo

At least 86 persons were killed when a motorized boat overturned in the Equateur Province in northwest Congo, according to official media on Friday. According to the state news agency, the majority of the deceased were students, and the catastrophe happened on Wednesday in the Basankusu region.

Although state media cited accounts from the scene and attributed the accident to “improper loading and night navigation,  the cause of the incident was not immediately apparent. Villagers were seen gathering around the remains in what looked to be photos taken at the spot, grieving. A local civil society organisation said the death toll was greater and blamed the catastrophe on the government. Commentary from authorities was not immediately available.

As more people choose cheaper, wooden boats that collapse with the weight of people and their belongings across the limited roads that are accessible, boat capsizing is becoming more common in this country in central Africa.

Life jackets are uncommon on these journeys, and the ships are typically overcrowded. Additionally, many of the boats operate at night, which makes rescue operations more difficult and frequently results in numerous people going missing.

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