Inongo: At least 20 people have died, and several remain missing after a boat capsized in northwestern Congo, according to local residents. The boat, which capsized on Lake Maï-Ndombe, was carrying passengers to the capital, Kinshasa.
According to Nam News Network, the passengers included a newly ordained Catholic deacon, as per a statement by the local Diocese. Emmanuel Bola, a resident of the nearby town of Inongo, mentioned that the vessel was traveling from the town of Kiri to Kinshasa when it capsized between the villages of Bobeni and Lobeke around 8 p.m.
The Congolese government has yet to release an official death toll. Kevani Nkoso, the governor of Maï-Ndombe province, stated on national TV that details from the teams deployed to the field are still awaited to determine the number of people killed and the number of survivors.
The capsizing of boats is becoming increasingly frequent in this central African nation as more people opt for cheaper, wooden vessels over the few available roads. These ves
sels often crumble under the weight of passengers and goods. Life jackets are rare, and the vessels are usually overloaded.
Many boats also travel at night, complicating rescue efforts and leaving many bodies unaccounted for. Earlier this month, a capsizing left 64 people missing. In September, at least 193 people died in northwestern Congo in two separate boat tragedies, attributed to improper loading and night navigation.