At least 60 people have been killed and hundreds more are missing after a congested whaling boat sank on the Congo River at night, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s humanitarian affairs minister said.
Minister Steve Mbikayi said more than 700 people were on board, but that so far only 300 survivors have been found at the site of the disaster in Mai-Ndombe province in the west of the country.
The vessel sailed from Kinshasa to Mbandaka through the night on Sunday while getting into trouble near the village of Longola Ekoti in Mai-Ndombe province.
The minister told Al-Jazeera that the main cause of the downfall was too many passengers and cargo on the vessel, adding that “night navigation also played a role”.
Mbikayi expressed condolences to the families affected and called for sanctions against those involved in the transport sector.
A supercharged whale, navigating the night with more than 700 passengers was maunded to Maindombe!
60 corps already found with 300 rescued!
Our agreements with approved families and our demands on sanctions against all those responsible for the transport sector.– STEVE MBIKAYI (@ Cartesien243) 15 February 2021
Fatal boat accidents are common in Congo, with few tarred roads in its vast, wooded interior and where vessels are frequently loaded beyond their means.
For most people, the Congo River and its tributaries are the only way to travel long distances.
With Reuters