The death toll from a devastating boat accident in northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo has climbed to more than 60, local authorities confirmed on Saturday, as search teams recovered 26 more bodies from Lake Tumba.
The disaster occurred on Wednesday when three large canoes, lashed together and carrying mourners to a funeral, capsized in the Bikoro region of Equateur province. The vessels were en route to the village of Ikoko-Bonginda, transporting over 200 passengers along with the body of a deceased woman.
Local official Dieu-Merci Akula said on Saturday, “This morning, we found 26 more bodies in the waters of the lake.” The earlier confirmed toll stood at 40. Volunteers from the Red Cross have been working alongside provincial authorities to retrieve and bury the victims.
Kolomba Mampuya, head of the local Red Cross, said that Saturday would be the final day of recovery efforts, as hopes of finding more bodies typically vanish after 72 hours.
Provincial Interior Minister Crispin Mputu Molia noted on Friday that the accident involved three overcrowded canoes. Although there are suspicions of overloading, the lack of a passenger manifest has made it difficult to confirm exact numbers. Some survivors reported that rough waves may have contributed to the capsizing.
Deadly accidents are common on Congo’s rivers and lakes, which serve as vital transport routes in remote regions where roads are scarce or non-existent. Overcrowding, poor vessel conditions, and the absence of safety enforcement continue to be key factors in such disasters.
Despite President Félix Tshisekedi’s 2019 initiative to implement mandatory life jackets on passenger boats, safety rules are rarely followed in practice.
