DR Congo Boat Disaster: Dozens Dead and Missing After Overcrowded Vessels Sink

At least 32 people have died and dozens remain missing following the capsizing of two overcrowded boats on Lake Tumba in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Equateur Province, local authorities confirmed Thursday.

The vessels, carrying over 100 passengers, set off from Bikoro port on the lake’s eastern shore Wednesday afternoon. According to the Provincial Coordination of the Panel of Civil Society Experts of Equateur, the boats departed despite “clear overloading and unstable weather conditions.”

“Witnesses reported such severe overcrowding that many passengers were turned away from the canoes,” said Akula Dieu, a member of the civil society group.

Gabriel Ifulu Bongolomba, the Lake Commissioner in Bikoro, revealed that the boats had been privately requisitioned by a family to ferry mourners to a funeral. The departure was from an unauthorized point, complicating safety monitoring efforts.

Shortly after leaving port, heavy rain and turbulent waves battered the overloaded vessels, causing them to capsize. Rescue efforts are underway, but Bongolomba warned that limited resources — including a shortage of life jackets, fuel, and rescue boats — have severely hampered operations.

“We are forced to rely on private boats for rescue missions, yet often lack the fuel to carry out these operations effectively,” he said.

Boat accidents are tragically common in the DRC, where lax enforcement of safety regulations and routine overloading endanger passengers daily. Authorities are urging urgent investment in maritime safety infrastructure and stricter regulation to prevent further tragedies.