At least 143 people have died and dozens remain missing after a fuel-laden boat caught fire and capsized on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), officials confirmed Friday.
The tragedy occurred Tuesday near Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur Province, at the junction of the Ruki and Congo Rivers — the latter being the deepest in the world. According to Josephine-Pacifique Lokumu, head of a regional delegation of national deputies, hundreds of passengers had been crammed onto a wooden boat when a fire broke out onboard.
“A woman lit embers to cook. The fuel, stored nearby, exploded — many women and children were killed instantly,” Lokumu told AFP.
By Friday, 143 bodies had been recovered, with some severely burned, while others drowned. Local civil society leader Joseph Lokondo, who assisted in the burials, reported a provisional death toll of 145. “Several families are still searching for their loved ones,” he added.
Footage circulating on social media shows flames engulfing the vessel far from shore, thick smoke rising as onlookers in smaller boats watched helplessly.
The exact number of passengers remains unknown, but officials estimate several hundred were aboard. Some survivors were rescued and are receiving treatment in hospital.
The DRC — a vast Central African nation spanning 2.3 million square kilometers — suffers from poor road infrastructure and limited air connectivity, forcing many to rely on river transport. Accidents are frequent, often deadly, and made worse by the absence of passenger manifests.
In recent years, Equateur Province has seen multiple maritime disasters. In October 2023, at least 47 people died in a boat sinking, while another incident on Lake Kivu the same month claimed over 20 lives. In 2019, a shipwreck on Lake Kivu killed around 100.