At least 148 people were tragically found dead in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a motorized wooden boat caught fire and capsized in the Congo River. The boat, named HB Kongolo, was carrying around 500 passengers, including women and children, when the incident occurred near the town of Mbandaka. Boating accidents are common in Congo due to the use of old, wooden vessels that are often overloaded. Officials fear that hundreds of people are still missing, as the number of dead was previously estimated at 50. Survivors were taken to an improvised shelter at the local town hall, while those with burn injuries were transferred to local hospitals. The fire reportedly started when a woman was cooking on board the vessel. Some passengers died after jumping into the water without being able to swim. This tragic incident is reminiscent of other recent boating accidents in Congo, including one in 2024 where 78 people drowned in Lake Kivu and another in December where at least 22 people died in a river boat sinking in western Congo. The use of old, overloaded vessels and lack of safety measures continue to contribute to these devastating accidents in the region.
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