Kinshasa [Congo], October 17: At least 45 people have died and approximately a further 165 are missing after a boat capsized near the harbour of Mbandaka, the capital of Équateur Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Équateur Governor DieudonneBoloko told DPA on Monday that the boat had capsized at the mouth of the Mbandaka port on Friday evening. The city lies at the confluence of the Congo and Ruki rivers some 400 kilometres from Kinshasa. The search for survivors had resumed on Monday with little hope of finding any alive, Boloko said. Gilbert Likita, a local municipal representative, said the boat had been overloaded and had departed after nightfall in contravention of the regulations.
The precise number of passengers aboard was not known, he said. Transport by river is widely used in the central African country as many roads are in poor condition. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune