Thirty-eight people were confirmed dead and more than 100 were missing after a ferry carrying people heading home for Christmas capsized in northeast Congo's Busira River, officials and witnesses said Saturday.
Twenty people have been rescued so far.
The ferry sinking late Friday came less than four days after another vessel capsized in the country's northeast, killing 25 people.
Joseph Joseph Kangoringoli, the mayor of Ingende, the last town on the river before the accident site, said the ferry was sailing as part of another convoy and the passengers were mainly merchants returning home for Christmas.
Ndolo Kadi, a resident of Ingende, said the ferry had “more than 400 people on board as it passed through two ports, Ingende and Looro, on its way to Boende. Therefore, we believe there were many more deaths.” There's a reason.''
Congolese authorities have repeatedly warned against overloading boats and vowed to punish those who violate safety measures on the river. However, in remote areas, there are few roads available and many people cannot afford to use public transportation.
At least 78 people drowned when an overloaded boat sank in the country's east in October, and 80 people lost their lives in a similar accident near Kinshasa in June.
The accident sparked anger at the government for not equipping the convoy with flotation devices.
Nesti Bonina, a prominent figure and member of the local government in Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur province, where the ferry sank, accused authorities of failing to properly deal with recent events.
“How can ships navigate at night under the supervision of river management staff? And now we have recorded more than 100 deaths,” Bonina said.
Capsizing of overloaded boats is becoming increasingly common in this central African country as more people forgo the few available roads in favor of wooden boats that collapse under the weight of passengers and cargo for safety reasons. are.
Roads are often caught up in deadly clashes between Congolese security forces and rebels, sometimes cutting off key access routes.
