Two boat disasters kill at least 193 in northwestern DRC

At least 193 people have been reported killed in two separate boat disasters in northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo this week, authorities and local media said Friday, as rescue teams continued searches for dozens missing and communities mourned the dead. The first accident occurred Wednesday in Basankusu territory when a motorized canoe capsized, killing at least 86 people, many of them students, state media reported. A second, larger disaster unfolded Thursday on the Congo River in Lukolela territory after a narrow, double ended whaleboat caught fire and later capsized, an internal government memo said, leaving 107 dead and 146 missing.

The ministry of humanitarian affairs said the Lukolela vessel was carrying nearly 500 passengers when it burned on Thursday evening near Malange village. Rescue teams recovered 209 survivors, several injured, the ministry said, and reported that the fire destroyed cargo aboard the boat and ignited about 15 riverside homes. Search operations involving naval personnel and community volunteers were ongoing Friday along riverbanks as authorities sought to locate the missing and repatriate survivors to their points of origin and destination,...