At least 148 people die after boat catches fire in Congo

At least 148 people were found dead in Democratic Republic of Congo after a motorised wooden boat caught fire and capsized, media reports citing local officials said on Friday.

The boat was carrying as many as 500 passengers, including women and children, when it overturned in the Congo River located in the country’s northwest region on Tuesday, as per the reports.

Boating accidents are common in Congo, where old, wooden vessels are the main form of transport between villages and are often loaded far beyond capacity.

Officials estimate hundreds of people to still be missing, the reports added. The number of dead was previously estimated at 50.

The boat, called HB Kongolo, caught fire near the town of Mbandaka, having left the port of Matankumu for the Bolomba territory.

About 100 survivors were taken to an improvised shelter at the local town hall, while those with burn injuries were taken to local hospitals, Sky News reported.

The incident occurred when a fire started as a woman was cooking on board the vessel, Compétent Loyoko, the river commissioner, told the Associated Press.

Several passengers, including women and children, died after jumping into the water without being able to swim, the report added.

In 2024, at least 78 people drowned when a boat with 278 passengers capsized in Lake Kivu, eastern Congo. In a separate incident, at least 22 people died after a riverboat sank in December in western Congo.