A tragic boat accident on the Congo River has left at least 50 people dead and hundreds more missing after a fire broke out on board, causing the vessel to capsize during a late-night voyage in the northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to local authorities and international news reports, the accident happened late on Tuesday night, April 15, near the town of Mbandaka in Equateur Province. The motorized wooden boat, identified as HB Kongolo, was carrying about 400 passengers when disaster struck.
The boat had departed from the port of Matankumu and was en route to Bolomba territory when a fire erupted onboard. Compétent Loyoko, a river commissioner in the area, confirmed to the media that the fire started after a passenger began cooking on the vessel, which is a common but dangerous practice on riverboats in the region.
Eyewitness footage shared by Lokmat Times showed the boat engulfed in flames, with panicked passengers jumping into the river to escape the fire. Many of those who jumped into the water especially women and children, drowned because they could not swim.
Though dozens of people were rescued, many suffered severe burns and other injuries. Around 100 survivors have been relocated to the town hall in Mbandaka, where a temporary shelter and emergency aid station have been set up to treat the injured and provide relief.
Search and rescue operations began the following day, April 16, but poor infrastructure, lack of emergency equipment, and insufficient training among responders have made the efforts extremely difficult. Local authorities fear the death toll may rise significantly as the search continues.
“We are still searching. Many are unaccounted for,” said Loyoko, calling the incident one of the worst in recent years.
Deadly boat accidents are tragically common in the DRC, a vast central African country where rivers like the Congo, Busira, and Kasai serve as vital transportation routes. Due to the poor condition of many roads, boats are often the only way for people in remote areas to travel or transport goods.
However, these river journeys are frequently unsafe. Most boats are overcrowded, poorly maintained, and lack basic safety features like life jackets or emergency exits. Fire outbreaks, capsizing due to overloading, and navigation errors at night are frequent causes of such disasters.
According to Al Jazeera, in December 2024, a similar boat accident in the Busira River led to the deaths of 38 people, with over 100 others missing. Just two months before that, in October 2024, at least 78 people lost their lives when an overcrowded boat carrying nearly 300 passengers capsized.
The latest tragedy has sparked renewed calls for the Congolese government to improve safety regulations on the country’s rivers. Many citizens and rights groups are urging authorities to enforce passenger limits, ban cooking onboard boats, and improve emergency response systems.
In the town of Mbandaka, grief hangs heavy in the air. Families are searching for loved ones, some clinging to hope while others prepare for the worst. Local churches and mosques have opened their doors to comfort survivors and pray for the missing.
The Congo River, the world’s second-largest by volume, plays a vital role in the daily lives of millions in the DRC. But without proper safety measures, it remains a dangerous path for those who have no other choice but to travel by boat.
For now, the country mourns yet another avoidable tragedy. The images of a burning boat and desperate passengers diving into dark waters are a painful reminder of how far the DRC still needs to go in protecting its people from such deadly risks.
