At least 42 passengers drowned and more than 100 are missing after their boat sank on the river Oubangui in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), local officials and a radio report said on Friday.
Rescue workers had saved 22 passengers, but recovered 42 bodies from the river, which runs along DRC’s northern border with the Central African Republic, Felix Ibula of the authorities in nearby Gbadolite said
The barge was carrying 182 passengers from both countries when it sank, according to a report from the United Nations-sponsored Radio Okapi, citing investigators from both countries who had gone to the scene.
”The barge hit a rock before sinking,” said Ibula.
”We don’t know at this time if some passengers, in addition to the 22 survivors, were able to save themselves,” added Ibula. That still left at least 115 people missing.
The accident happened near Gbongi, in Bosobolo territory, more than 600km north-east of Mbandaka, the capital for the northern Equateur region.
Boats frequently sink in DRC’s network of lakes and rivers, often due to having been overloaded with passengers beyond their safety limit. But country’s waterways are also poorly surveyed, increasing the risk of accidents.
Most vessels do not comply with the basic safety requirements, lacking proper navigation equipment and emergency equipment such as life jackets and proper lighting. — AFP
