At Least 20 Drown as Boat Carrying Students After Exams Sinks in DR Congo

Kasai. At least 20 people have died when a wooden boat carrying students who were taking state-level examinations in the central region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) sank, officials said.

According to eyewitnesses, the boat sank on Friday as it was entering the confluence of the Sankuru and Kasai rivers in Kasai province.

Boat accidents are frequent in the Central African country of DR Congo. In recent years, hundreds of people have lost their lives due to night travel, the tendency to carry excessive passengers, weak safety standards, and lack of adequate infrastructure in remote areas.

François Kabula, administrator of the Ilebo region of Kasai province, said that 80 people were rescued and the bodies of 20 people were found after the accident. However, Chikudi Ja, who directly witnessed the boat sinking, claimed to the AP news agency that more than 200 passengers were on board the boat.

François Malepo, chairman of the Ilebo civil society organization, strongly criticized the negligence of the boat operators, saying, 'DR Congo's boat operators only want to make money, they do not care about human lives.'