KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A boat capsized in central Congo, leaving 64 people missing, authorities said Wednesday.
The river barge sank on Monday on the mouth of the Sankuru River in Kasai province, an area known for its powerful and turbulent currents, local administrator François Ahaka told The Associated Press.
“The boat initially had 120 passengers on board. So far, we have 56 survivors and 64 people missing,” he said, adding that search efforts were still underway.
The vessel had left the port of Bena Dibele in Sankuru province on Nov. 13, bound for the capital, Kinshasa, which is located more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) from its point of departure, Ahaka said.
The capsizing of boats is becoming increasingly frequent in this central African nation as more people are abandoning the few available roads for cheaper, wooden vessels crumbling under the weight of passengers and their goods.
In such trips, life jackets are rare and the vessels are usually overloaded.
Many of the boats also travel at night, complicating rescue efforts during capsizings and leaving many bodies often unaccounted for.
In September, at least 193 people died in northwestern Congo in two separate boat tragedies, which state media attributed to “improper loading and night navigation.”
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Congo river barge capsizes, leaving 64 people missing WHEC.com.
Hence then, the article about congo river barge capsizes leaving 64 people missing was published today ( ) and is available on News10NBC ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Congo river barge capsizes, leaving 64 people missing )
Also on site :
- Crew Paints Russian Flag on Oil Tanker Pursued by the U.S. Coast Guard
- FBI Seizes $40 Million Worth of Motorbikes Tied to Top-10 Fugitive
- What Time the ‘Stranger Things’ Finale Drops in Your Time Zone