DR Congo boat accident claims 11 lives, dozens missing

Sixteen people survived the accident on the over-crowded vessel by swimming to safety on the Lukenye river
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Polish artist Mario, sculptor of St. Simon the Tanner Monastery complex, works on a scene at the church in the Egyptian capital Cairo's eastern hillside Mokkatam district, on May 30, 2019. - Mario spent more than two decades carving the rugged insides of the seven cave churches and chapels of the rock-hewn St. Simon Monastery and church complex atop Cairo's Mokkatam hills, with designs inspired by biblical stories. It was all done to fulfil the wishes of the church's parish priest who met Mario in the early 1990s in Cairo. The Polish artist, who had arrived in Egypt earlier on an educational mission, was then looking for an opportunity to serve God at the monastery. (Photo by Mohamed el-Shahed / AFP)

Eleven people have drowned and dozens are missing after a barge sank on a river in central Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities said Tuesday.

Sixteen people survived the accident on the over-crowded vessel by swimming to safety on the Lukenye river, a journalist working for a local community radio told reporters.

The disaster — the latest in a string of deadly accidents in Congolese waters — occurred a week ago in a remote and densely forested region of Kasai province where rivers are the main means of transport due to a lack of motorable roads.

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“We have recovered 11 bodies and about 50 people are missing,” Kasai governor Dieudonne Pieme told reporters.

The local journalist said most of those on board were travelling to the country’s capital of Kinshasa.

Boat accidents are common in the country, typically caused by overloading of passengers and cargo.

In May, 32 people died in a boat accident on Lake Mai-Ndombe in the west of the country.

In April, at least 167 people died in two accidents, prompting President Felix Tshisekedi to make it mandatory for boat passengers to have lifebuoys. 

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