A wooden boat carrying villagers and goods capsized late Wednesday in turbulent waters on Lake Tumba in Bikoro territory, Equateur province, amid heavy rains and high waves. The vessel went down during its journey to a local market, claiming the lives of at least 30 people, including several students. Many more passengers remain missing, and a frantic search operation has been launched.
Locals in Bikoro are grieving. One resident, José Ipalaka, confirmed losing three family members and told reporters that dozens of relatives have joined ongoing rescue efforts. Heart-wrenching videos shared online show mourners loading bodies—some of them children into canoes and wailing in despair as they process the tragedy.
This is just the latest in a distressing cycle of waterway disasters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where river and lake travel remains essential due to poor road infrastructure. Historical incidents include a 50‑fatality boat fire in April, a capsizing near Kinshasa last June claiming over 80 lives, and an 86‑person disaster on the Kwa River in June 2024 all attributed to severe weather, overloaded vessels, ineffective safety regulation, and the absence of life jackets .
Despite repeated government promises to bolster safety, experts say enforcement remains weak rural communities still rely on overcrowded wooden boats operated without basic safety standards.
