Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo—A wooden passenger vessel collided with a commercial barge on the Congo River on Monday, leaving at least 30 people dead and dozens more unaccounted for. Local fishermen and surviving passengers pulled bodies from the dark, churning waters as rescue boats converged on the impact zone. The overloaded wooden boat broke apart upon impact, sending cargo and passengers plunging into the fast-flowing current. Nightfall hampered initial search operations as emergency teams struggled against strong river currents.
Provincial authorities deployed marine police units and local volunteers to scour the riverbanks downstream from the disaster site. Survivors recounted harrowing moments as the unlit commercial barge loomed out of the darkness shortly before midnight. Makeshift clinics set up near the river landing treated injured survivors suffering from exhaustion and hypothermia. Transport ministry officials launched an urgent inquiry into river safety violations and nighttime navigation bans. Families gathered in grief along the muddy shoreline waiting for news of missing relatives.
"The wooden transport boat was operating without proper navigation lights and carrying far beyond its legal passenger capacity when it struck the commercial barge," a senior provincial transport inspector stated at the site.
Rescue coordinators warned that the death toll will likely rise as search teams reach remote river bends downstream. National lawmakers renewed demands for stricter enforcement of passenger limits and mandatory life jacket requirements. Relief agencies rushed emergency supplies and body bags to the overwhelmed river port community. Transport unions pointed to chronic infrastructure neglect and lack of lighted buoys as primary contributors to the disaster.
Published by Banx Network. This article is part of the Banx decentralized media programme, powered by the BXE token on the XRP Ledger.
