At least 12 dead and dozens missing after a vessel capsizes in DRC

A vessel carrying fish traders and cargo capsized on Lake Kivu near Idjwi Island in South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in at least 12 deaths and leaving dozens missing, local officials said. Félix Habiragi, chief of the village of Kisheke close to the incident site, told authorities the boat had been carrying more than 50 people on Saturday night. Muhindo Ntambuka Pascal, a local administrator, said the vessel was transporting traders and goods from Bwina on Idjwi Island to Boza. The cause of the capsizing was not immediately known, and about 15 people were pulled from the water alive. Video footage that appears to be from the scene shows villagers and other passengers recovering bodies from the lake. Civil society member Dorcelle Bagazane said that although authorities had previously required passengers to wear life jackets, many continue to travel without them. Boat accidents are common across the DRC, where rivers and lakes provide a vital transport network for more than 100 million people. Overloading of vessels with passengers and cargo, and frequent lack of life jackets, contribute to the high risk on these waterways. The Lake Kivu incident occurred just two days after a separate capsizing on Lake Tanganyika, where at least 41 people died and 49 were rescued. That earlier accident involved a vessel reportedly carrying about 100 people and cargo near the village of Mapera, highlighting a recent spate of deadly maritime incidents in the country.