Boat accident in Central Congo: 25 people killed, dozens missing, questions on security arrangements

Central Congo: On Tuesday, 25 people were killed and dozens were missing after a boat capsized in the Fimi River in Congo's Mai-Ndombe province. This accident happened near Inongo city, located north-east of Congo's capital Kinshasa. According to officials and local residents, the boat had more than 100 people on board, making it overloaded. The search for missing people continues after the accident, and the death toll is expected to increase.

River Commissioner David Kalemba said that the accident occurred due to too many people in the boat. Children are also included among the dead. According to Alex Mbumba, a resident of the area, the boat was also loaded with heavy luggage, causing more people to come on board. So far 25 bodies have been recovered after the accident, but the number of bodies is likely to increase further.

This is the fourth accident of the year

The incident is the fourth such incident in Mai-Ndombe province this year. This area is surrounded by rivers and the people here depend on river transport as it is difficult for them to afford road transport. The Congolese government has announced penalties against those who violate security measures to prevent such incidents. However, people in remote areas are unable to afford road transport.

There were reports of similar accidents in Congo in the last few months also. In October, 78 people died when a boat capsized in eastern Congo, and in June a similar incident near Kinshasa killed 80 people. After this latest accident, the government has decided to arrange safety equipment for boats.

warning against overloading

Congolese authorities have frequently warned against overloading and have issued warnings to punish those who violate safety measures for water transport. Incidents of overloaded boats capsizing are also increasing in this Central African country, as more and more people leave the roads available for wooden ships breaking under the weight of passengers and their luggage for safety reasons.

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