Overloaded boat catches fire, capsizes in Congo; at least 107 dead, 146 missing

Kinshasa: A devastating boat accident in northwestern Congo has killed at least 107 people and left 146 others missing, officials confirmed on Friday. The vessel, carrying nearly 500 passengers, caught fire and capsized Thursday along the Congo River in the Lukolela territory of Equateur Province, according to a report from the Congolese humanitarian affairs ministry.

This tragedy comes just one day after another deadly incident in the same province. On Wednesday, 86 people lost their lives and several others went missing following a separate boat accident in Basankusu territory. The back-to-back disasters have brought the total death toll to nearly 200 within the span of a week.

The causes of the accidents remain unclear. However, state media attributed Wednesday’s wreck to “improper loading and night navigation,” citing accounts from the scene. Graphic images circulated from the site showed villagers gathered around the bodies of the deceased, mourning their loss.

A local civil society group has publicly criticized the government, blaming it for the catastrophe and claiming the death toll is even higher than reported. Authorities have not responded to these allegations.

Boat accidents have become tragically common in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where poor infrastructure and a lack of reliable roads force many to rely on overloaded, wooden vessels for transportation. These boats are often in disrepair, lack basic safety measures like life jackets, and frequently operate at night, hampering rescue operations and leaving many victims unaccounted for.