Major accident on Congo River, at least 30 killed in boat collision; dozens missing

Kinshasa (The Uttam Hindu): At least 30 people were killed in a major collision between two motorised wooden boats on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Dozens of passengers are reportedly missing following the accident. According to the local administration, a large-scale search operation is underway in the river to locate those still missing.

The accident occurred near the Ngombe-Lukolela area in Equateur province. Provincial Interior Minister Crispin Maputu said the 30 people who died in the accident had been buried. The exact cause of the collision has not yet been established.

Boats collided head-on

According to officials, one boat was travelling from the northwestern Ubangi region towards the capital Kinshasa, while the other was travelling from Kinshasa towards Lukolela. The two boats collided near Lukolela. The impact was so severe that one of the boats sank completely.

According to an eyewitness, the boat returning from Ubangi was carrying more cargo than its capacity. A large number of passengers were trapped in the water after the collision. Rescue teams are searching the river for possible survivors.

Overloading and safety measures under scrutiny

Officials have warned that the death toll could rise because of the number of passengers still missing. The local administration and security agencies have intensified the search operation following the accident.

Boat accidents are frequent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Overloading boats with passengers, operating vessels at night, ignoring safety standards and poor infrastructure in remote areas are among the major factors contributing to such accidents. Hundreds of people have lost their lives in several major boat accidents in the country in recent years.