At least 107 people have been confirmed dead after a whaleboat caught fire on the Congo River near Malange village in Lukolela territory. The accident occurred on Thursday evening, leaving 146 people missing, according to an internal government report.
What happened during the Congo River disaster?
The boat, described as a narrow, double-ended vessel, burst into flames while carrying passengers and cargo. Rescue teams recovered 209 survivors, many with injuries, as the vessel burned and drifted downstream. The fire spread beyond the boat, destroying cargo and setting ablaze 15 riverside homes.
Authorities announced that medical care would be provided for the injured, bereaved families would receive assistance, and survivors would be repatriated to their places of origin and destination. Naval personnel and community volunteers continued search efforts on Friday, combing the riverbanks for missing passengers.
Why are river accidents common in Congo?
River transport is the primary lifeline for communities in Congo’s vast rainforest regions. However, old wooden vessels, poor maintenance, overloading, and illegal nighttime navigation often make travel dangerous. Such conditions have repeatedly led to high death tolls in river accidents.
This disaster follows another deadly shipwreck just days earlier. On Wednesday night, at least 86 people died when a motorized canoe sank at the confluence of the Nsolo and Great Maringa rivers in Basankusu territory. Civil society activist Akula Mboyo explained, “The motorised canoe … sank due to blatant overloading and nighttime navigation, which is formally prohibited.” Local residents managed to rescue eight survivors.
With limited resources and remote accident sites, rescue operations remain slow and challenging. As communities mourn, these repeated tragedies highlight the urgent need for stricter enforcement of safety measures and investment in safer transport infrastructure across Congo’s river systems.
By Yockshard Enyendi