At least 30 people have died after two boats collided on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Dozens of people were also reported missing after the vessels collided on Sunday evening in northwestern Equateur province.
The accident happened near the Ngombe-Lukolela area, according to officials cited by Al Jazeera and The Associated Press.
Search-and-rescue operations have been launched to find those still missing.
Two vessels collide on Congo River
Equateur provincial Interior Minister Crispin Mputu said one of the vessels was travelling from Kinshasa.
The metal vessel, named Dieu se cache, collided with a wooden boat called HB Super Victoire, which was travelling from Businga.
Mputu told the state-owned Agence Congolaise Presse that many passengers became trapped underwater after the collision.
He said the vessel also sank and confirmed that those recovered dead had already been buried.
The total number of people aboard the vessels was not immediately clear.
Cause of DR Congo boat collision unclear
Authorities have not yet established what caused the collision.
However, Mputu highlighted the risks associated with boats travelling at night.
A security officer who witnessed the accident told AP that the vessel coming from Kinshasa was overloaded with goods.
It was not immediately clear whether overloading contributed to the collision.
River transport is widely used in DR Congo, particularly in areas with limited road infrastructure.
Boat accidents have repeatedly occurred amid concerns over overcrowding, nighttime navigation and inadequate safety measures.
Previous boat disasters
The latest DR Congo boat collision comes months after another deadly accident in Kasai province.
At least 20 people died in July when a wooden boat carrying students returning from state examinations sank.
Witnesses said that vessel may have been carrying more than 200 passengers.
Authorities are continuing search efforts following the latest accident in Equateur as dozens of people remain unaccounted for.