At least 30 killed, dozens missing in boat collision on Congo River; rescue ops on

A boat collision on Congo River has claimed the lives of at least 30 people and left dozens missing, said Congo’s local authorities on Monday. The incident happened on Sunday when two motorised wooden boats crashed into each other near the Ngombe-Lukolela area in the province of Equateur.

One of the boats was travelling to Congo’s capital Kinshasa from Ubangi in the northwest region of the country. Meanwhile, the other boat was travelling to Lukolela from Kinshasa when the incident happened. It is not clear what led to the collision, but officials said a search operation remains underway to find more victims and survivors.

Eyewitnesses told Radio Okapi, an independent national radio network that is operating in a collaboration with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and Fondation Hirondelle, said one of the boats was carrying palm oil and passengers, while there is no information regarding the other boat.

The collision caused a spill of oil “onto the river’s surface” that has only complicated the rescue operation. “Even if they knew how to swim, the presence of this enormous amount of floating oil makes the task almost impossible,” Radio Okapi quoted an eyewitness as saying.

12 killed in Congo after vessel capsizes 

Similar boat accidents have been extremely common in Congo because of lack of monitoring by the local government and authorities. Just few days ago, a vessel had capsized in eastern Congo’s Lake Kivu, killing at least 12 people.

The vessel was carrying over 50 people, including fish traders and goods from Bwina to Boza, when it capsized near Idjwi Island in the South Kivu province. Several videos had gone viral that showed villagers and other passengers helping local authorities with the rescue operation and pulling bodies from the lake.

“We had even spoken in the evening, before he boarded that boat. It’s so sad for his family and for me,” Christian Amini Ndahira, a resident of Ijwi, told the Associated Press (AP). 

Meanwhile, Dorcelle Bagazane, a member of civil society in Idjwi, said: “The authorities had, in particular, begun requiring passengers to wear life jackets. Today, however, many people continue to travel without them.”

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