KINSHASA: At least 107 people have died after a whaleboat caught fire on the Congo River, underscoring once again the dangers of river transport in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
An internal government report seen by WNN on Friday confirmed the death toll, with 146 passengers still missing after the narrow, double-ended vessel went up in flames near Malange village in Lukolela territory on Thursday evening. The Ministry of Social Affairs said rescue efforts remain underway.
Naval personnel and community volunteers were combing the riverbanks on Friday, while authorities pledged medical assistance for the injured, aid to bereaved families, and support for the repatriation of survivors.
River transport is a lifeline in Congo’s remote rainforest regions, where aging wooden boats often serve as the primary means of travel. But frequent overloading, poor maintenance, and nighttime journeys despite official bans make deadly accidents tragically common.
The latest tragedy follows another shipwreck just days earlier, when at least 86 people died after a motorized canoe capsized at the confluence of the Nsolo and Great Maringa rivers in Basankusu territory. Local residents rescued only eight survivors.
“The motorised canoe sank due to blatant overloading and nighttime navigation, which is formally prohibited,” civil society activist Akula Mboyo said in a statement.
Rescue operations remain hampered by scarce resources and the remoteness of accident sites, leaving many families in anguish and without closure.
— Samuel Jack
