The initial death toll from Tuesday’s incident was initially 50, but officials of Équateur province feared that the toll would rise owing to the large number of passengers, around 500.
The disaster initiated when a fire sparked while someone was cooking onboard, as stated by Competent Loyoko, the river commissioner.
What do we know about the Congo boat disaster?
The fire erupted near Mbandaka city in the Équateur Province, at the junction of the Congo and Ruki rivers.
Several passengers, including women and children, perished after leaping into the water without knowing how to swim, according to officials.
Many survivors were seriously injured, and while many were taken to nearby hospitals, numerous others were still waiting to hear from their loved ones, as reported by Joseph Lokondo, a local civil society leader.
“131 bodies were recovered on Wednesday, with another 12 pulled out on Thursday and Friday; several were completely charred,” Josephine-Pacifique Lokumu, head of a delegation of national deputies from the region, told the media.
Images and videos circulating on social media depicted a long boat engulfed in flames and smoke, with people in smaller vessels watching in horror.
The local Red Cross teams were on the scene to assist the authorities with the rescue efforts, as per reports.
Boat accidents are prevalent in DR Congo
DR Congo lacks a reliable road or airway network connecting its vast territory, making river and lake travel by boat a more viable option.
In 2019, a shipwreck on Lake Kivu resulted in approximately 100 fatalities, which is indicative of how common such accidents are in the region.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar
