A boat overturned on Lake Maï-Ndombe in Congo on Thursday, resulting in at least 20 deaths. Several people are still missing. The boat was traveling from Kiri to Kinshasa and capsized around 8 p.m. between Bobeni and Lobeke.
According to the local Diocese, a newly ordained Catholic deacon was among the victims. Emmanuel Bola from Inongo told the Associated Press that the exact number of missing people is still unknown.
The government has not confirmed the number of deaths. The Governor of Maï-Ndombe, Kevani Nkoso, said they are still gathering information from rescue teams.
Boat accidents are common in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many people rely on old, crowded wooden boats because of poor road conditions. These boats often lack life jackets and travel at night, which makes rescues harder. Earlier this month, 64 people went missing in a similar incident. In September, nearly 200 people died in two other boat accidents.
