A Christmas Tragedy at Sea: 38 Dead, Over 100 Missing as Boat Capsizes on Holiday Return

Kinshasa (The Uttam Hindu): A devastating boat accident occurred in Congo late Friday night, when a vessel carrying passengers returning home for Christmas capsized in the Busira River. At least 38 people have been confirmed dead, with hundreds still missing. Local authorities report that more than 400 people were aboard the boat at the time of the accident, and rescue teams have been tirelessly searching for survivors. The death toll is expected to rise as the operation continues.

This tragedy comes just four days after another boat sank in northeastern Congo, claiming 25 lives. These repeated accidents have raised concerns about the safety of boat travel in the country. Overcrowding is a major cause of these disasters, as many people living in remote areas rely on boats due to the unaffordability or inaccessibility of road travel.

Despite government warnings against overloading boats and enforcement of safety measures, such accidents continue to occur. In October, at least 78 people died in a similar incident in eastern Congo, and a similar disaster near Kinshasa in June resulted in 80 fatalities. Following the latest accident, local authorities have ramped up rescue efforts, deploying divers to search for the missing.