At Least 80 Dead in Boat Tragedy on Kwa River in DRC

At least 80 people have perished after a boat sank on the Kwa River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Félix Tshisekedi has confirmed. 

The disaster occurred on Wednesday, approximately 70km (44 miles) from the town of Mushie in Maï-Ndombe province, near the border with Congo-Brazzaville.

In a statement released on social media, President Tshisekedi expressed his deep sorrow, stating he was “devastated” by the tragic event. 

He assured that those affected by the disaster would receive necessary assistance and ordered a thorough investigation to determine the cause of 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 stated on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Boat accidents are a common tragedy in the Democratic Republic of Congo, often resulting from overcrowding and the lack of safety measures. 

Passengers are frequently not provided with life jackets and many cannot swim, contributing to the high fatality rates in such incidents.