At least 143 people have died and many remain missing after a boat carrying fuel caught fire and capsized on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, officials confirmed on Friday.
The incident occurred Tuesday near Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur Province, at the junction of the Ruki and Congo rivers.
The wooden boat was reportedly overcrowded with passengers when the blaze broke out.
According to Josephine-Pacifique Lokumu, head of a delegation of national deputies, the fire was triggered by a cooking accident.
“A woman lit embers for cooking, and fuel stored nearby exploded,” she said, adding that many victims were women and children.
Local civil society leader Joseph Lokondo, who assisted in burial efforts, reported a provisional death toll of 145, with victims either burned or drowned.
A total of 131 bodies were recovered Wednesday, and 12 more were found over the next two days. Several were charred.
Footage circulating online showed flames engulfing the vessel as smoke rose into the air, while smaller boats floated nearby.
The exact number of people on board remains unknown, but it is believed to be in the hundreds.
Some survivors were rescued and hospitalized, though many families are still awaiting news of missing relatives.
Transport in the DRC is often limited due to poor road infrastructure and scarce air services, leading many to rely on river travel.
Unfortunately, accidents on the Congo River and nearby lakes are common, often worsened by overcrowding and lack of passenger manifests.
This tragedy follows a series of similar incidents in recent years, including a boat accident in October 2023 in the same province that claimed 47 lives, and another on Lake Kivu in 2019, which left around 100 dead.
