Death toll in DR Congo boat accident reaches 54

Authorities in Equateur province of the Democratic Republic of Congo have recovered 10 more bodies from a boat accident that happened on Sunday, raising the death toll to 54.

The health and humanitarian affairs minister for the province, Luc-Didier Mbula, also said that 267 people were rescued.

Authorities believe that about 50 people are still missing, although they could not retrieve the passenger manifest as the boat’s owner also drowned.

The accident happened in the early hours of Sunday when a wooden vessel sank in the Lulanga River in western DR Congo.

This is the second deadly boat accident to happen in the country this month.

On 13 October, a wooden boat sank at the port of Mbandaka in Equateur’s capital, killing 63 people and leaving more than 100 others still missing.

Transport Minister Mark Ekila said that there have been 88 boat accidents this year alone, 80% of which involved old wooden vessels or vessels sailing at night, in breach of regulations.

The government has announced that it is working on tighter measures, including banning dilapidated vessels and separating people from travelling together with cargo and pets.

DR Congo is vast and has poor transport infrastructure, forcing most people to travel using dilapidated boats and in unsafe sailing conditions.