At least 78 individuals drowned when the boat, which was carrying 278 passengers, overturned in Lake Kivu, located in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on Thursday, October 3, according to a provincial governor.
Witnesses reported seeing relatives weeping on the shore as victims were placed in body bags and removed from the scene.
Footage shared online shows a crowded multi-deck vessel leaning precariously to one side in calm waters before it capsized, sending passengers into the lake.
The governor of South Kivu province confirmed that the death toll stands at 78, with a total of 278 people aboard.
“It will take at least three days to determine the exact numbers, as not all the bodies have been recovered yet,” Governor Jean Jacques Purisi told Reuters.
According to the governor of the neighboring North Kivu province, 58 people survived the incident.
The boat capsized approximately 700 meters from the port, and an investigation into the cause of the accident is currently underway.
One survivor recounted the conditions on the overcrowded boat just before it overturned, stating that the water was calm. As others struggled to stay afloat, he fought to survive until he was rescued by Congolese troops.
“I witnessed people sinking; many went under. I saw women and children drowning, and I was on the verge of going under myself, but God helped me,” recounted 51-year-old Alfani Buroko Byamungu from his hospital bed.
Crowds gathered at the port in Goma, where the vessel was scheduled to dock. Some wiped tears from their eyes or wept on the ground, while others expressed their anger, blaming the authorities for the ongoing rebel conflict that has disrupted road access, leading to overcrowding on boats.
“All of this is a consequence of the war… They no longer make an effort to eliminate the enemies from the roads so that they can be reopened,” shouted Mushagulua Bienfait, a Goma resident who lost three relatives in the tragedy.
Watch the clip via this link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAtyaQDtGz0/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b9801d01-7e69-4aaa-a1f8-4f285ca01c69
