At least 193 killed in two separate boat accidents in northwestern DR Congo

Rescue teams searched for the missing aft deadly incidents successful Equateur state this week.

Two abstracted vessel accidents this week successful northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) person killed astatine slightest 193 radical and near dozens missing, authorities and authorities media said.

The accidents happened connected Wednesday and Thursday, astir 150km (93 miles) isolated successful the Equateur province.

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One vessel with astir 500 passengers caught occurrence and capsized connected Thursday evening on the Congo River successful the province’s Lukolela territory, sidesplitting 107 people, DRC’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs said successful a report.

The study said 209 survivors were rescued pursuing the accident, involving a whaleboat adjacent the colony of Malange successful Lukolela territory.

A memo from the Ministry of Social Affairs, seen by the Reuters quality agency, said 146 radical were missing.

A time earlier, successful a abstracted accident, a motorised vessel capsized successful the Basankusu territory of the province, sidesplitting astatine slightest 86 people, astir of them students, authorities media reported.

Several radical were missing, but the reports did not springiness a fig for however many.

It was not instantly wide what caused either mishap oregon whether rescue operations were continuing connected Friday evening.

[Al Jazeera]

State media attributed Wednesday’s mishap to “improper loading and nighttime navigation”, citing reports from the scene. Images that appeared to beryllium from the country showed villagers gathered astir bodies arsenic they mourned.

A section civilian nine radical blamed Wednesday’s mishap connected the authorities and claimed the toll was higher.

Search operations took spot aft the accidents, with naval unit and assemblage volunteers combing the banks portion authorities pledged aesculapian attraction for the injured, assistance to bereaved families and the repatriation of survivors to their places of root and destination.

River transport is simply a lifeline successful DRC’s immense rainforest regions, wherever old, woody vessels are the main signifier of transport betwixt villages. It is besides often cheaper than travelling connected the fewer disposable roads.

However, the vessels are poorly maintained and crumbling nether the value of passengers and their goods, and accidents are frequent.

On specified trips, beingness jackets are rare, and the vessels are usually overloaded.

Many of the boats besides question astatine night, complicating rescue efforts during accidents and leaving galore bodies often unaccounted for.

Rescue operations are besides often hampered by constricted resources and the distant locations of accidents.