At least 50 killed in Congo (DRC) shipwreck
On January 23, local time, a reporter from China Central Radio and Television finally arrived at the scene of the shipwreck near Mbandaka, Equatorial Province of Congo.
According to what the reporter learned at the scene, rescue work is still in progress, 50 bodies have been salvaged ashore, and the death toll is likely to increase further.
According to local media reports, Anthony Moboko, a member of the Equatorial Province, said in an interview that the roof of the wooden boat was suddenly damaged during the journey, causing the passengers on the roof to fall into the Congo River. It also subsequently cracked.
Anthony-Moboko also pointed out that the provincial government has yet to set up an investigative committee to investigate the cause of the accident.
Hundreds of people were on board the ship, but the government has not made any announcements about the number of accidents.
Another local media had previously cited witnesses who said there may be more than 600 passengers on board, with more than 180 missing.
But a local government official said in an interview that 180 people were rescued and not missing.
It did not answer questions about whether there were more than 600 passengers on board.
Congo (Kinshasa) has a land area of 2.3 million square kilometers and a vast territory. The infrastructure construction in many areas is poor, and there are almost no roads to pass through.
Local residents often rely on the Congo River and its tributaries or the waterways on lakes to travel between places. In these waters, due to aging and overloading of ships, shipwrecks often occur, resulting in heavy casualties.
(Headquarters reporter Bai Jie)