A tragic boat accident in the Democratic Republic of Congo has once again highlighted the serious problem of unsafe river transport in rural areas. At least 19 people died and several went missing after a boat capsized in Lake Mai-Ndombe on Thursday night due to sudden strong winds, according to officials.
The accident occurred when the boat was heading from Kiri village in Mai-Ndombe province towards the capital Kinshasa. According to the local administration, a large number of passengers were on board the boat. Provincial governor Nkoso Kewani Labone said nine bodies were found on Friday and 10 more bodies were recovered on Saturday.
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According to a Reuters report, the governor said it was not yet clear how many people were missing because the exact number of passengers was not recorded. It is being told that 82 people have been rescued.
Boat capsized due to engine failure
According to the governor, the strong winds damaged one of the boat’s two engines, causing the boat to lose balance and suddenly capsize. He told that after the accident, relief and rescue work is being carried out rapidly, but due to the depth of the lake and bad weather, there are difficulties in the rescue operation.
There were more or less 200 passengers on board
Government official Freddy Bonzeke Iliki estimated that there were at least 200 passengers on board. He said that this accident proves again that many local boats do not follow capacity and safety rules. Iliki had earlier also proposed a ban on floating wooden boats, but it was not implemented.
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Boat accidents happen frequently in Congo
River transport is the main mode of travel for people in rural areas of Congo, but such accidents often occur due to old and overloaded boats. In September alone, around 200 people died in two river accidents in other parts of Congo. Local people and officials are now demanding strict enforcement of safety measures for boats in lakes and rivers after this tragedy.
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