At least 12 dead and dozens missing after a vessel capsizes in Congo’s Lake Kivu
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- At least 12 people died and dozens remained missing after a vessel carrying more than 50 passengers capsized on Lake Kivu in eastern Congo; about 15 people were rescued.
- The boat was traveling from Idjwi Island to Boza. The cause of the accident was unclear, as villagers searched the lake and recovered bodies.
- Deadly boat accidents are common in Congo, where overloaded vessels are a key form of transport and passengers often travel without lifejackets.
BUKAVU, Congo — A vessel carrying traders capsized in Lake Kivu in eastern Congo, killing at least 12 and leaving dozens missing, authorities said Sunday.
The vessel was carrying more than 50 people when it capsized Saturday night off Idjwi Island, in South Kivu province, said Félix Habiragi, chief of the village of Kisheke near the scene of the accident.
He said about 15 people have been rescued. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear.
Deadly boat accidents are common in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where rivers and lakes are a major means of transport for its more than 100 million people.
The vessel was transporting fish traders and goods from Idjwi Island’s Bwina to Boza, according to Muhindo Ntambuka Pascal, the local administrator.
Videos that appear to be from the scene showed villagers and other passengers pulling bodies from the lake.
Christian Amini Ndahira, a resident of Ijwi, said he lost a friend on the boat. “We had even spoken in the evening, before he boarded that boat. It’s so sad for me and for his family.”
Congo’s vessels are often overloaded with goods and passengers, many of whom frequently travel without lifejackets.
“The authorities had, in particular, begun requiring passengers to wear lifejackets. Today, however, many people continue to travel without them,” said Dorcelle Bagazane, a member of civil society in Idjwi.
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