At least 32 dead as overloaded whaler capsizes in Congo

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo

At least 32 people were killed and many remain missing after an overloaded boat capsized in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, officials told Anadolu.

The whaler, identified as HB Winner, was carrying both goods and passengers when it met the accident at the port of Isongo in the Inongo region of Mai-Ndombe province.

"This shipwreck is due to the overload and the swaying of the roof,” David Kalemba, river commissioner of Inongo, told Anadolu. “There was an overload at the roof level ... we have recovered 32 bodies ... As for the distinction of gender, we do not yet have any details for the moment," he added.

Communication in the region where the incident happened is scant.

The shipwreck highlights the dangers linked to navigation on the country’s waterways, often characterized by lax regulation and non-compliance with safety standards.

With several passengers still missing, search operations continue on-site to find other victims.

Local authorities are working in collaboration with rescue teams to find the missing and clarify the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Congo, with its vast river networks, suffers from a flagrant lack of regulatory mechanisms, a problem often ignored in rural areas where communication is weak.