More Than 80 Dead Wreck in DRC
Boat in Congo, June 2024 Photo: EFE
June 12, 2024 Hour: 2:29 pm
Overcrowding is often cited as the main cause of shipwrecks in this Central African country, bordering Angola.
More than 80 dead and a hundred survivors left the sinking of a whaler that transported more than 200 people in the early hours of this Tuesday in the Kwa River, in the province of Maï-Ndombe.
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The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, confirmed on Wednesday that at least 80 people have died victims of the shipwreck of a boat on the Kwa River, located in the extreme west of the country.
He was deeply shocked by the tragedy of the sinking of the Kwa River, 70 kilometres from the town of Mushie in the territory of Maï-Ndombe. The latest interim report published by the government reveals more than 80 disappeared.
Tshisekedi immediately ordered the competent authorities to take measures to help the victims of this catastrophe. It also demands that an investigation be carried out urgently to find out the true cause of this tragedy and to take precautions so that this disaster does not occur in the future.
The Head of State Félix Tshisekedi said he was devastated by the tragedy of the shipwreck which occurred on the Kwa River, 70 kilometers from the city of Mushie, in the province of Maï-Ndombe, the provisional toll of which shows more than 80 dead. He sends his condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. He instructs the competent authorities to take the necessary measures to help those affected by this disaster.
They were two boats that left the territory of Mushie towards the capital, Kinshasa, with a large number of passengers and, unfortunately, one of the ships broke down and collided with the other, with 273 passengers on board».
At least 185 people managed to swim before aid arrived early Tuesday morning, but 88 remain unaccounted for, although no bodies have yet been found.
According to the Mushi River commissar, one of the two ships leaving Mushi at 1700 hours for Kinshasa crashed near the village of Lediba after an engine failure. It considers that night navigation is one of the causes of this sinking.
Night navigation, often used for lack of alternatives, exposes passengers to greater risk of accidents. Local authorities call for caution and respect for river safety rules to avoid further tragedies.
Autor: OSG
Fuente: infoCongo
