A ferry carrying hundreds of passengers capsized on the Busira River in northeastern Congo on Friday, leaving at least 38 people dead and over 100 missing. The tragic incident occurred as the ferry, overloaded with passengers returning home for Christmas, capsized late in the evening.
Local authorities confirmed that 20 people have been rescued so far.
The sinking comes less than four days after another boat capsized in the country’s northeast, resulting in 25 deaths. This latest tragedy has sparked outrage among the local population and renewed calls for improved river safety measures.
“How can a ship navigate at night under the watchful eye of river service agents? And now we’re recording over a hundred deaths,” lamented Nesty Bonina, a member of the local government in Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur province.
Overloaded boats are a common sight on Congolese rivers, as many people rely on water transport due to the poor condition of roads, which are often disrupted by ongoing conflict. This tragedy underscores the urgent need for improved safety regulations and enforcement to prevent future incidents.
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