By JEAN-YVES KAMALE, Associated Press
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A boat with nearly 500 passengers caught fire and capsized in northwestern Congo, killing 107 people and leaving 146 missing, authorities said Friday, in the region’s second deadly boat accident over the past week.
The latest accident took place Thursday along the Congo River in the Equateur Province’s Lukolela territory, the Congolese humanitarian affairs ministry said in a report.
It came a day after 86 people were killed and several others left missing Wednesday in a separate boat accident in the province’s Basankusu territory, bringing the total deaths to nearly 200.
It was not immediately clear what caused either accident.
State media attributed Wednesday’s accident to “improper loading and night navigation,” citing reports from the scene. Images that appeared to be from the scene showed villagers gathered around bodies as they mourned.
A local civil society group blamed Wednesday’s accident on the government and claimed the toll was higher. Authorities could not be immediately reached for comment.
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 accidents and leaving many bodies often unaccounted for.
