A regional minister announced on Monday that at least 52 people’s bodies had been pulled from the Congo River after their boat capsized late last week, but he cautioned that the death toll could rise further because so many people were still missing.
According to Didier Mbula, provincial health minister for Equateur Province, the boat was carrying over 300 people when it overturned near the town of Mbandaka in the northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo during the night on Friday.
Didier Mbula said that the number of dead has since risen. Over the weekend, 30 were confirmed to have drowned, with 167 missing.
“We have recorded 52 bodies that were pulled out. The search teams are still in the field, working. This is still a provisional toll, and it may increase further,” he added.
In a statement, he promised to implement rules to improve the safety of river transport and “minimise the recurring tragedies.”
