At least 148 people have been confirmed dead after a wooden passenger boat caught fire and capsized on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to media reports citing local officials on Friday.
The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday in the country’s northwest region, near the town of Mbandaka. The vessel, identified as HB Kongolo, had departed from the port of Matankumu en route to Bolomba territory and was reportedly carrying up to 500 passengers — including many women and children — when disaster struck.
Preliminary reports had estimated 50 fatalities, but the death toll has since risen significantly. Authorities fear that hundreds more may still be missing.
Boating accidents are sadly common in the DRC, where overloaded, aging wooden boats serve as the primary mode of transport between remote riverside communities.
The fire is believed to have started when a woman was cooking onboard, said river commissioner Compétent Loyoko, speaking to the Associated Press. The blaze quickly spread, causing panic among passengers. Many jumped into the river, but several, including women and children, drowned because they could not swim.
Roughly 100 survivors were taken to an improvised shelter at the local town hall, while those with burn injuries were transported to nearby hospitals, Sky News reported.
This incident is the latest in a series of deadly waterway accidents in Congo. In early 2024, at least 78 people drowned when a boat with 278 passengers capsized on Lake Kivu in the east. Another tragedy occurred in December when 22 people died after a river boat sank in the western part of the country.
