Congo river boat tragedy claims 148 lives, over 100 missing
As a result of a boat fire on the Congo River near Kinshasa, at least 148 people have died, and over 100 are still missing. The tragedy occurred on Tuesday, with about 500 people on board the boat. "Our magnificent Congo River and the lakes our country abounds in have become huge cemeteries for the Congolese people," a local senator said in an interview.
The death toll from the boat fire on the Congo River, which took place on Tuesday, has risen to at least 148. According to the AP agency, over 100 people are still missing. Among the victims are women and children, and some passengers died attempting to escape by jumping into the water.
Rescue teams, supported by the Red Cross and provincial authorities, are participating in the search for the missing individuals.
Senator Jean-Paul Boketsu Bofili from the Equator Province reported that there were 500 people on board. "As we speak, more than 150 survivors suffering from third-degree burns are without humanitarian assistance," the senator said. The wooden boat was traveling from the port of Matankumu to the Bolomba territory, and the fire broke out near the city of Mbandaka when one of the passengers was preparing a meal over a fire.
The rivers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, inhabited by over 100 million people, are key transportation routes, especially in areas with underdeveloped infrastructure. Unfortunately, tragic accidents on the Congo waters are not uncommon. "Our magnificent Congo River and the lakes our country abounds in have become huge cemeteries for the Congolese people. This is unacceptable," said Bofili.
In 2024, at least 78 people drowned when a boat with 278 passengers capsized in Lake Kivu in eastern Congo. In a separate incident, at least 22 people died when a river boat sank in western Congo in December, reports NBC News.
