KIGALI, Rwanda: Around 70 people remain missing after a boat capsized in the Sankuru River in central Democratic Republic of the Congo, local media reported on Thursday.
The vessel had departed from the port of Bena Dibele and was travelling toward the capital, Kinshasa — a journey of more than 800 kilometers — when it overturned on Monday after being caught in powerful whirlwinds, according to UN radio.
Local administrator François Ahoka said the boat was carrying about 120 passengers. Roughly 50 people have been rescued, while search efforts continue for those still unaccounted for.
Ahoka noted the challenges facing rescue teams and urged families to stay in contact with authorities to help identify survivors and recovered bodies.
With much of the country lacking usable roads, river transport remains a common but often dangerous means of travel in Congo.
According to AP, the river barge sank at the mouth of the Sankuru River in Kasai province, an area known for its powerful and turbulent currents, according to local administrator Francois Ahaka.
The vessel had left the port of Bena Dibele in Sankuru province on Nov. 13, bound for the capital, Kinshasa, which is located more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) from its point of departure, Ahaka said.
The capsizing of boats is becoming increasingly frequent in this central African nation as more people are abandoning the few available roads for cheaper, wooden vessels crumbling under the weight of passengers and their goods. In such trips, life jackets are rare and the vessels are usually overloaded.
Many of the boats also travel at night, complicating rescue efforts during capsizings and leaving many bodies often unaccounted for.
In September, at least 193 people died in northwestern Congo in two separate boat tragedies, which state media attributed to “improper loading and night navigation.”
