At least 40 people have died and many more are missing after a boat carrying mourners to a funeral capsized on Lake Tumba in the northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, officials confirmed on Friday.
The tragedy occurred on Wednesday in Equateur province, where three large canoes tied together and carrying more than 200 passengers sank en route to the village of Ikoko-Bonginda. The boat was also transporting the body of a deceased woman for burial.
Provincial interior minister Crispin Mputu Molia said 40 bodies had been recovered and dozens more survived the accident. However, the actual number of missing remains unknown due to the absence of an official passenger manifest.
“We’ve found 40 bodies so far and dozens of survivors. There’s also a still-undetermined number of people missing,” Mputu told AFP.
A local resident, Dieu-Merci Akula, reported a higher death toll. “Yesterday, we had 52 bodies, and two more were found this morning,” he said.
Eyewitnesses said the boat encountered rough waters and high waves, which overwhelmed the drivers. “The drivers were unable to cope,” Mputu said.
An investigation has been launched to determine the precise cause of the accident. Authorities are also trying to verify whether the boat was overloaded, though the lack of a passenger list poses a significant challenge.
Deadly boat accidents are common in the DRC, where overloaded vessels, poor safety standards, and limited regulation contribute to frequent tragedies on the country’s vast network of rivers and lakes.
Rescue operations remain ongoing.
