An electric wooden boat was capsized by about 400 passengers, with fire near the town of Mundakha.
A boat capsized after firing in the Democratic Republic of Northwest Congo (DRC), killing at least 50 people and hundreds have gone missing, local officials said.
Following the late Tuesday night’s accident on the Congo River, a search for missing persons took place Wednesday, assisting rescuers, supported by the Red Cross and state officials.
An electric wooden boat with around 400 passengers sparked a fire near the town of Mundanka. He spoke to the Associated Press after leaving Matanumu port for Bolomba territory, a river commissioner.
The incident began while someone was cooking on board, Royoko said.
Several passengers, including women and children, died after jumping into the water without being able to swim. Approximately 100 survivors were taken to an improvised shelter at Mundaka City Hall. Many of them were burned.
Fatal boat accidents are common in Central African countries, Al Jazeera’s Alan Uyekani said he has reported from Goma. He said rescuers are often inexperienced and not equipped to manage emergencies.
Hundreds of people have been killed in boat accidents in recent years. More people have abandoned some available roads for wooden ships packed with passengers and their merchandise.
At least 38 people died in December after a ferry carrying more than 400 people traveling in the river in the northeastern DRC for Christmas.
A capsized boat killed 78 people in Lake Kivu, Eastern DRC in October.
Source link
