Boat carrying students sinks in central DR Congo, killing at least 20

At least 20 people drowned when a wooden boat carrying students back from state exams sank in central Democratic Republic of the Congo, authorities said. The deaths add to a pattern of fatal water transport accidents in a country where rivers remain vital links for remote communities.

The vessel went down Friday as it reached the meeting point of the Sankuru and Kasai rivers in Kasai province, witnesses told The Associated Press. Officials have not reported a final passenger count.

Francois Kabula, administrator of Ilebo territory in Kasai province, said rescuers had accounted for 80 survivors and recovered 20 bodies. His figures indicate the death toll could rise if more people were aboard than officials have confirmed.

Tshikudi Jean, a witness to the sinking, told AP the boat had been carrying more than 200 people. Authorities did not immediately confirm that number.

Questions over crowding and safety

The boat was carrying students who had been returning after state exams, according to authorities. No details were immediately available on the students’ ages, the boat’s route before the sinking, or whether the vessel had safety equipment on board.

Francois Malepo, president of the Ilebo civil society organisation, accused boat operators in the country of putting profit ahead of passenger safety. He told AP that shipowners in DR Congo are focused on money and disregard human life.

AP reported that fatal boat accidents are common in DR Congo, where overcrowded vessels and travel at night are often cited after disasters. The news agency also reported that weak safety rules and limited infrastructure in remote areas have contributed to hundreds of deaths in recent years.

Many communities in the central African country depend on river transport because roads and other links are limited, especially outside major cities. AP’s reporting on the latest sinking did not say whether weather, darkness, mechanical failure or overloading caused the boat to go down.

The sinking occurred in Kasai province, where the Sankuru and Kasai rivers form part of a transport network used by residents moving between towns and villages. Local authorities had not announced any arrests or formal findings on responsibility.

Officials also had not released the identities of the dead. Kabula’s tally of bodies and survivors was the only official casualty count reported after the accident.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.