NEW DELHI: In a devastating incident in the Central African nation of Congo, a ferry carrying around 400 passengers caught fire on the Congo River near the town of Mbandaka, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds missing.
The accident occurred on Tuesday night when a wooden boat departed from MatanKumu port en route to Bolomba. As it approached the Mbandaka region, the vessel was engulfed in flames, prompting many passengers to leap into the river in a desperate attempt to save their lives. Many of them drowned, unable to swim to safety.
According to local authorities, the death toll has reached 50, including several children. The exact number of missing persons remains unknown, but it is feared to be in the hundreds.
Following the incident, Red Cross teams and regional officials launched a search and rescue operation in the river. About 100 passengers were rescued and moved to an advanced shelter facility at Mbandaka Town Hall. Many of the survivors suffered burn injuries, officials confirmed.
Initial investigations suggest that the fire may have started during cooking activities on board the vessel, a common practice on long river journeys in the region.
Boat accidents are tragically frequent in Congo, where safety standards are often lax and vessels are typically overcrowded. In December last year, 38 people died when a ferry capsized in northeastern Congo. Just two months earlier, another boat capsized in Lake Kivu, eastern DRC, claiming 78 lives.
Authorities have called for stricter enforcement of safety regulations to prevent such recurring tragedies.