MBANDAKA, DR CONGO — Tragedy of harrowing proportions has rocked the Democratic Republic of Congo as at least 148 people have been confirmed dead following a catastrophic boat accident on the Congo River. The vessel, a motorised wooden boat known as HB Kongolo, was reportedly carrying over 500 passengers, including women and children, when it caught fire and capsized on Tuesday in the northwestern region of the country.
Authorities now fear that hundreds more remain missing, raising concerns that the final death toll could climb significantly in the coming days. The initial estimate of around 50 fatalities has been revised sharply upwards as rescue efforts continue amid growing despair.
According to media reports citing local officials, the ill-fated boat had departed from the port of Matankumu en route to Bolomba Territory. It met its tragic end near the river town of Mbandaka after a fire, believed to have started from a cooking incident on board, quickly engulfed the vessel. River Commissioner Compétent Loyoko told the Associated Press that the blaze began when a woman lit a cooking fire, an unfortunately common and dangerous practice on overcrowded wooden boats in the region.
The chaos that followed was nothing short of apocalyptic. As flames spread and smoke filled the vessel, terrified passengers—many unable to swim—leapt into the fast-moving waters of the Congo River. Dozens reportedly drowned in the panic.
Boating accidents are tragically routine in DR Congo, where outdated, overloaded wooden boats remain the primary mode of transport between remote villages. Regulations are often ignored, and safety equipment like life jackets is virtually non-existent.
Around 100 survivors were rescued and brought to an improvised shelter at the local town hall, while those who sustained severe burn injuries were rushed to nearby hospitals for emergency care. The true number of those on board remains uncertain, further complicating rescue and recovery operations.
This latest disaster comes on the heels of a string of deadly waterway accidents in the country. In 2024 alone, at least 78 people drowned when a boat carrying 278 passengers capsized in Lake Kivu, and another 22 perished in December after a riverboat sank in western Congo.
As the nation mourns, calls are growing louder for authorities to crack down on the unsafe conditions of river travel and to enforce stricter maritime safety laws to prevent such recurring heartbreak.
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