Doha: At least 40 people were killed and others are missing following a boat sinking in a lake in Equateur Province, northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo. Provincial Interior Minister Crispin Mputu Mulia stated that three large boats tied together sank in Lake Ntumba, with 40 bodies and dozens of survivors recovered so far.
According to Qatar News Agency, Minister Crispin Mputu Mulia confirmed that an unknown number of passengers remain missing. Local civil society officials reported that the accident resulted in the drowning of 54 passengers, based on a preliminary toll.
The lakes of the Democratic Republic of Congo are frequently the sites of fatal boat sinkings. These incidents are often attributed to factors such as old boats, overloading, lack of signs, or adverse weather conditions.