At least 80 people have died after a boat sank in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as announced by the country’s president.
The tragedy occurred on Wednesday on the Kwa River, approximately 70km (44 miles) from the town of Mushie in the Maï-Ndombe province, near the border with Congo-Brazzaville.
President Félix Tshisekedi expressed his devastation in a statement on social media, promising assistance to those affected and ordering an investigation into the incident.
“The President of the Republic is calling for an investigation into the true causes of this unfortunate incident, to prevent such a disaster from happening again in the future,” the presidency said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Boat accidents are frequent in DR Congo due to overcrowding and the lack of safety measures, such as life jackets, which leaves many passengers vulnerable as they often cannot swim.
Source-BBC
