Boat capsizes in Congo, killing at least 86, most of them students

KINSHASA (AP): A motorized boat capsized in northwestern Congo’s Equateur Province, killing at least 86 people, state media reported Friday.

The state news agency reported that the accident occurred on Wednesday in Basankusu territory, and that most of the victims were students.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident although state media attributed it to “improper loading and night navigation,” citing reports from the scene.

Images that appear to be from the scene showed villagers gathered around bodies as they mourned.

A local civil society group blamed the 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.