86 people killed in DR Congo Boat mishap

More than 80 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, have died after the boat they were travelling on sank, President Felix Tshisekedi has announced.

The accident took place on Wednesday June 12, 2024, on the Kwa River, about 70 km (43 miles) from the city of Mushie in Mai-Ndombe province.

The boat was conveying 271 passengers to the capital, Kinshasa, when it broke down as a result of an engine failure, according to the UN-backed Radio Okapi, citing Ren Maker, the water commissioner in the Mushi district where the accident occurred.

Eighty-six of the passengers died, while 185 managed to swim ashore, Maker said.

“The President of the Republic is calling for an investigation into the true causes of this unfortunate incident to prevent such a disaster from happening again in the future,” the presidency said in a statement.

Tshisekedi “sends his condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims,” the statement said, adding that he directed authorities to take measures and help those affected.

The incident was caused by night sailing, Rita Bola Dula, Mai-Ndombe province governor, told Reuters, adding that the investigations continued.

According to Reuters report, deadly boat accidents are common in the DRC, where vessels are frequently loaded well beyond their capacity. The central African country has few tarred roads across its vast, forested territory, and river travel is common , the report said.

The DRC only has one kilometre of paved road per 1,000 square kilometres, compared to the average of 16 kilometres for low-income countries.