October 15th 2023.
Tragedy has struck the Democratic Republic of Congo, as a boat carrying hundreds of passengers has capsized in the Congo River near Mbandaka. At least 30 people have been confirmed dead and 167 are still missing.
Didier Mbula, provincial health minister of Equateur Province, reported that 189 passengers have been rescued so far. He mentioned that the toll could climb as the search for the missing continues. As the area has a population of 1.2 million people, this tragedy will be felt deeply.
The boat was locally made and was overloaded with more than 300 passengers. It was sailing at night, which may have contributed to the accident. Deadly boat accidents are unfortunately common in Congo, as vessels are often loaded beyond their capacity. This is due to the lack of tarred roads and the fact that river travel is a common form of transport.
The search for the missing passengers is still ongoing, and we hope that those who were on the boat are found safe. Our thoughts are with the victims of this tragedy and with their families.
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