A boat carrying dozens of passengers capsized on Lake Kivu in eastern Congo on Thursday, killing at least 50 people, the Associated Press reported.
It was not immediately clear how many people were on board or died in the accident, but witnesses said they saw rescuers recover at least 50 bodies from the water. .
Witnesses also said 10 people survived the incident and were taken to a local hospital.
Witnesses said the overloaded boat sank while attempting to dock just meters from Kituk port.
The accident occurred as the boat was en route from Minova in South Kivu province to Goma in North Kivu province.
Local authorities said the death toll was unknown at this time as rescue operations continued.
“The ship had a capacity of about 30 passengers, but it was carrying about 100 people,” Jean-Jacques Pourcy, the governor of South Kivu province, told a local radio station after the accident.
It was the latest deadly shipping accident to occur in the central African country, where overcrowding on ships is often the cause.
Maritime regulations are also often not complied with.
“Many people died, but very few were saved,” she added. “I couldn’t help them because I don’t know how to swim.”
Families of the victims and residents of Goma gathered at the Kituk port to denounce authorities’ negligence in the face of deteriorating security in the region.
The Associated Press reports that many traders have been displaced since fighting between the military and M23 rebels made the road between the cities of Goma and Minova impassable, forcing the closure of food truck traffic. It was reported that they are relying on sea transport on Lake Kivu. It is considered safer than road transport, which is threatened by insecurity.
But Elia Asmani, a shipping agent working on the route, told The Associated Press the situation had become dangerous and “we are afraid.” “This shipwreck was predictable.”
One of the affected families, 27-year-old Bianfay Sematumba, said he had lost four members of his family.
“They’re all dead. I’m alone now,” he said, crying. “If the authorities had ended the war, this shipwreck would never have happened.”
Approximately 10 of the survivors were taken to Chieschiero Hospital for treatment. One of them, Neema Chimanga, said she was still in shock.
“I could see the boat starting to fill with water halfway through,” she told The Associated Press. “The boat door opened and we tried to close it, but water was already coming in and the boat tipped over.”
“I threw myself into the water and started swimming,” he added. “I don’t know how it got out of the water.”
