Officials and local residents confirmed the tragedy, highlighting ongoing safety challenges in river transportation.
The vessel, which departed from the town of Inongo, northeast of Kinshasa, was believed to be carrying over 100 passengers.
The accident occurred just a few hundred meters into its journey. In addition to passengers, the boat was heavily loaded with goods, according to local accounts.
David Kalemba, Inongo’s river commissioner, attributed the disaster to overloading, particularly on the boat’s roof. He reported that 25 bodies had been recovered by Tuesday evening, but fears remain that the death toll will rise as the search for survivors continues.
“Among the dead are children, but it’s difficult to determine the exact number as the boat carried many passengers,” said Alex Mbumba, a resident in the area.
This tragedy is the fourth boat accident in Maï-Ndombe province this year. The region, surrounded by rivers, relies heavily on water transport due to a lack of roads. However, safety measures are often neglected, and overloading is a persistent issue. Many residents, unable to afford other means of transport, have no choice but to rely on overcrowded vessels.
Deadly boat accidents are common in the DRC. In October, at least 78 people drowned when an overloaded boat sank on Lake Kivu in the east. Earlier in June, 80 lives were lost when a similar accident occurred on the Kwa River near Kinshasa.
The latest incident has prompted renewed calls for government action. Residents and officials have urged authorities to equip river transport services with safety measures such as flotation devices and to enforce stricter regulations.
“The government must act to improve safety on the waters of our province because navigation conditions are dangerous,” said Mbumba.
