More than 191 people have died and dozens remain missing following two separate boat accidents this week in the Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities confirmed on Friday.
The incidents occurred on Wednesday and Thursday in the northwestern Equateur province, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) apart.
According to the Ministry of Social Affairs, a boat carrying nearly 500 passengers caught fire and capsized on the Congo River near Malange village in Lukolela territory on Thursday evening. At least 209 people were rescued, but 146 remain missing. The fire destroyed the vessel’s cargo and ignited 15 homes along the riverbank as the boat drifted downstream.
Naval units and local volunteers are continuing search and rescue operations.
A day earlier, at least 86 people — mostly students — drowned when a motorized boat capsized at the confluence of the Nsolo and Great Maringa rivers in Basankusu territory, according to state media. Eight survivors were pulled from the water by nearby residents, while several others are still unaccounted for.
Civil society activist Akula Mboyo said the Wednesday accident was caused by “improper loading and night navigation,” practices formally banned under Congolese regulations.
Boat accidents are frequent in Congo, where river transport is often the only means of travel in remote rainforest regions. Many vessels are old, poorly maintained, and regularly overloaded. Limited infrastructure, resource constraints, and night-time journeys also complicate rescue efforts.
Last year, at least 78 people died when a passenger vessel sank in Lake Kivu.
