A tragic ferry disaster on Lake Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has resulted in the deaths of at least 78 individuals. The vessel was nearing its destination in Goma, having departed from Minova in South Kivu, when it capsized on Thursday morning.
Footage shared on social media captures the moment the boat leaned precariously before submerging. Reports indicate that there were 278 people on board at the time of the incident, according to a local governor.
“It’ll take at least three days to get the exact numbers, because not all the bodies have been found yet,” Governor Jean Jacques Purisi told Reuters news agency.
A local activist, Aaron Ashuza, who was at the scene, told the BBC he saw bodies being pulled out of the river and said the injured had been taken to hospital.
At least two children died after they were taken to hospital after the accident, according to AFP.
Speaking from his hospital bed, 51-year-old survivor Alfani Buroko Byamungu, told Reuters news agency that conditions on the water seemed “calm”.
He added: “I saw people sinking, many went under. I saw women and children sinking in the water, and I myself was on the verge of drowning, but God helped me.”
Bahati Selemani, a dock worker who took part in the rescue effort, described what happened.
“We saw the boat start to capsize. We noticed that the boat was very overloaded and there were also strong waves,” he told AP news agency.
“After that, the boat started to capsize little by little. Those who were upstairs started to throw themselves into the lake, and the boat capsized directly into the lake.”
Accidents of this nature are frequent in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where overcrowding on boats is commonplace. Passengers often lack access to life jackets and many do not know how to swim, exacerbating the risks.
The situation is further complicated by the absence of passenger manifests on some vessels, making rescue efforts challenging. This tragedy follows a recent incident where more than 100 people perished while traveling on the Niger River.