148 People Die as Boat Catches Fire, Capsizes after Woman Starts Cooking On Board, Hundreds Missing

• At least 148 people have been confirmed dead, and hundreds are still missing after a wooden boat carrying around 500 passengers caught fire and capsized
• Congo authorities say the fire started after a woman began cooking onboard, causing panic and leading many to jump into the river despite not knowing how to swim
• The authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, just as search and rescue operations continue

Mbandaka, Congo - At least 148 people have died and hundreds remain missing after a wooden motorised boat carrying passengers caught fire and capsized on the Congo River in northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Reuters cited local officials as disclosing this on Friday, April 18.

The vessel, identified as HB Kongolo, was carrying as many as 500 people when the incident occurred on Tuesday, April 15, near the town of Mbandaka, shortly after it departed from the port of Matankumu en route to Bolomba territory.

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Boat caught fire mid-voyage

According to Compétent Loyoko, the river commissioner, the fire began after a woman started cooking aboard the boat. The blaze quickly spread before the vessel capsized, forcing many passengers into the river. Several women and children drowned after jumping into the water despite being unable to swim, officials told the Associated Press.

Sky News reported that about 100 survivors were rescued and taken to an improvised shelter at the local town hall, while those with burn injuries were transported to nearby hospitals.

Overcrowding common in River travel

Legit.ng gathers that boating accidents are frequent in DR Congo, where wooden vessels are a primary mode of transport between remote villages and are often loaded well beyond capacity.

The death toll was initially estimated at 50 but has since risen to at least 148. Local authorities believe the number of casualties could rise further as hundreds of passengers remain unaccounted for.

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This incident adds to a string of deadly maritime disasters in Congo. In 2024, at least 78 people drowned when a boat carrying 278 passengers capsized in Lake Kivu in the east.

In a separate incident last December, 22 people died after a riverboat sank in the western part of the country.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the latest incident and are continuing search and rescue operations.

LagFerry boat goes up in flames, passengers injured

In a related development, a fire incident on the Lagos waterways left many passengers injured when a LagFerry boat, Igbega Eko, erupted in flames while en route to Victoria Island early Thursday morning, April 3.

The boat's passengers were thrown into panic as the vessel caught fire, causing chaos among commuters who scrambled for safety.

According to the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the fire started suddenly after a loud bang. The cause of the explosion remains unclear, and investigations are currently underway.

Source: Legit.ng