At least 50 people have died after a boat capsized in a river in a remote area of the Democratic Republic of Congo, officials said on Friday. The vessel was transporting passengers and a large amount of goods from the town of Monkoto to the city of Mabandaka in Equateur province, unidentified residents told AFP.
The accident happened on the Momboyo river on Wednesday night, Richard Mboyo Iluka, vice governor of Tshuapa province said. “We found 49 bodies on Thursday and another one this morning [Friday],” he added.
“The cause of the sinking and the number of people missing are not yet known,” he said. “The provincial government has already sent a team there.” Iluka said that the boat was travelling by night – which is illegal under safety measures instituted by the government – and had no lights.
Deadly boat accidents are common in Congolese waters. In February, at least 14 people were reported missing when two boats sank on the Congo river.
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