A devastating ferry accident on Congo’s Busira River has left 38 people dead and more than 100 missing.
The ferry, overloaded with merchants heading home for Christmas, capsized late Friday in the northeastern part of the country.
Officials report that only 20 people have been rescued so far from the vessel, which was part of a larger convoy.
Joseph Kangolingoli, the mayor of Ingende, confirmed the ferry’s passengers boarded at two ports and numbered more than 400.
Survivor accounts reveal that many victims were trapped as the overloaded ferry overturned, plunging into the river’s depths.
The incident comes just days after another boat accident in the northeast claimed 25 lives, highlighting ongoing safety concerns.
Congolese officials have long condemned overloading practices but struggle to enforce safety laws in remote, underserved regions.
Residents, unable to afford road transport due to insecurity, are forced to rely on perilous river journeys in aging wooden boats.
Nesty Bonina, a local official, criticized authorities for failing to provide life jackets or prevent nighttime river navigation.
“How can such negligence persist when lives are repeatedly lost?” Bonina asked, echoing growing frustration across the country.
In October, an overloaded boat sank in the east, killing 78, while another accident in June near Kinshasa claimed 80 lives.
