A boat accident on the Lukeni River in Western Congo over the weekend has resulted in at least 20 fatalities and hundreds missing, according to local officials.
The motorized wooden vessel, carrying around 300 passengers, collided with a submerged barge while navigating at night, which is illegal in Congo. The accident is the latest in a series of fatal boat incidents in the country, often due to overloading. In June, an overloaded boat sank near the capital, claiming 80 lives.
As of Tuesday, 20 bodies have been recovered, 46 individuals rescued, and hundreds are still unaccounted for. A provincial commission is investigating the accident, and authorities have reiterated their warnings against overloading and non-compliance with maritime safety regulations.
