At least 20 people have been confirmed dead and several others remain missing after a boat capsized on Lake Maï-Ndombe in northwestern Congo, according to local sources. The incident, which occurred on Thursday night, involved a boat that was carrying passengers to the capital, Kinshasa.
Among the victims was a newly ordained Catholic deacon, as confirmed by the local diocese. The boat had departed from the town of Kiri and was en route to Kinshasa when it capsized in the waters between the villages of Bobeni and Lobeke around 8 p.m. Thursday.
Residents of the nearby town of Inongo, including Emmanuel Bola, who spoke with the Associated Press, confirmed the incident. Bola stated that the boat had been overloaded with passengers and goods, a common issue that has contributed to the increasing number of maritime disasters in the region.
The Congolese government has not yet provided an official death toll, though Kevani Nkoso, the governor of Maï-Ndombe province, appeared on national TV saying, “We are awaiting details from the teams deployed to the field to determine the exact number of people killed and the number of survivors.”
The incident is just one in a troubling series of boat capsizings that have plagued the country in recent years. The use of wooden boats—which are often in poor condition and overloaded—has become a popular but dangerous means of travel, especially as many people abandon the few available roads. In addition, nighttime navigation without proper safety measures, such as life jackets, further complicates rescue efforts and increases the risks.
This is the second deadly boat disaster in northwestern Congo this month. Earlier in November, a capsizing left 64 people missing, and in September, two separate boat accidents claimed at least 193 lives. The cause of these tragedies has been attributed to improper loading of boats and the practice of traveling at night, which often results in disaster.
In the aftermath of Thursday’s disaster, authorities have launched a search and rescue operation to recover the missing passengers. However, due to the difficulties of navigating the water, many bodies remain unaccounted for.
Experts have long warned about the risks associated with traveling by boat in Congo, especially in areas where roads are scarce and infrastructure is underdeveloped. Despite these warnings, overloaded vessels continue to operate in dangerous conditions. Life jackets are a rare commodity, and many boats do not meet safety standards.
The persistence of these boat accidents highlights the lack of regulation and oversight in the country’s transport sector. Government officials have yet to take concrete steps to address these recurring tragedies, leaving communities vulnerable to further loss of life.
