Tragedy struck on Lake Kivu in eastern Congo as a wooden boat, carrying approximately 50 passengers, capsized, leading to a presumed majority of fatalities, according to a statement by a local official.
Mustafa Mamboleo, an official with South Kivu province, attributed the likely cause of the incident to overloading.
The ill-fated boat, also transporting 20 bags of cement, sank on Sunday, leaving 10 survivors, while the search for around 37 missing individuals continued.
As the search operation unfolded, Mamboleo revealed that three bodies had been recovered, intensifying the somber aftermath of the maritime disaster.
Unfortunately, such deadly incidents are not uncommon in Congo, where small wooden vessels are frequently overloaded.
In a grim pattern, a similar tragedy unfolded earlier in January on Lake Maî-Ndombe, claiming the lives of 22 individuals.
Additionally, last April witnessed a distressing event on Lake Kivu, resulting in six fatalities and 64 people going missing.
Addressing the recurring issue of maritime safety, Daniel Lwaboshi, the director of Congo’s Public Riverways Authority, highlighted the lax adherence to maritime regulations as a contributing factor.
Lwaboshi, speaking on state television on Monday, underscored that overloading remains a primary driver of such accidents in the region.
As authorities grapple with the aftermath of this latest tragedy, concerns persist regarding the enforcement of safety measures to prevent further loss of life in Congo’s waterways.
