At least 24 people have died after an overloaded boat capsized on a river in Congo’s Mai-Ndombe province, with the death toll likely to increase as many passengers remain missing, a local official reported on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on Sunday night when the boat, carrying between 250 to 300 passengers, overturned after striking submerged tree trunks, according to Kutu territory administrator Jacques Nzenza, who spoke to Reuters.
Nzenza attributed the tragedy primarily to overloading, explaining, “The boat became unbalanced, and as panic spread, passengers rushed to one side, causing it to tip over.” Fidele Lizoringo, a civil society leader in the area, added that while 43 people survived, villagers, enraged by the loss of their relatives, lynched the boat manager.
Boat travel and fatal accidents are unfortunately common in the central African nation, where the lack of paved roads across its vast, forested regions often leads to vessels being dangerously overloaded.
