The death toll from boat fires and capsifications in the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this week rose to 148, with more than 100 still missing, officials said.
About 500 passengers were on wooden boats when it capsized Tuesday after firing in the Congo River in the country’s northwest.
The catastrophe began when the fire began while people were on board the boat and cooking, said the complementary Royoko, Kawa Commissioner. Several passengers, including women and children, died after jumping into the water without being able to swim.
Dozens were saved, but many of the survivors remained badly burnt. The missing search included a rescue team supported by the Red Cross and state officials.
A electric wooden boat set fire to the fire near the town of Mundaka, Royoko said. The boat HB Congolo departed the port of Matanum for Bolomba territory.
“The death toll was very high among the 500 passengers on board,” Sen. Jean Paul Boquets Bofiri said Friday. “As we speak, there are no humanitarian assistance in the over 150 survivors suffering from three-degree burns.”
Fatal boat accidents are common in Central African countries where people travel late at night or busy boats pass by. Authorities are struggling to implement maritime regulations.
Congo’s rivers are the mode of transport for over 100 million people, especially in remote areas with little infrastructure. 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.
“Our magnificent Congo River and the lakes of our country have become a huge cemetery for the people of Congo, which is unacceptable,” Bofiri said.
