At least 78 people have drowned and many others are missing after a boat allegedly carrying 278 passengers capsized Thursday morning just a few hundred meters off the shore of Lake Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, reports UNN citing the Guardian.
Details
The accident occurred just as the MV Merdy was about to dock at Kituku port, near Goma town, after crossing the lake from Minowa town.
Many watching the unfolding disaster from the pier were waiting to meet friends and family on board or were traders from a nearby market.
According to survivors who spoke to the Guardian, there were 278 people on board the boat, which was designed to carry only 80 people.
The governor of South Kivu province said the death toll so far stood at 78, with 278 people on board. “The exact numbers will be determined in at least three days because not all the bodies have been found yet,” Jean-Jacques Purisi told Reuters.
The route across Lake Kivu has become crowded and increasingly used as fighting in the region between government forces and M23 rebels has made the roads dangerous or impassable.
Between Goma and Minova, trucks carrying food and other supplies are stopped or searched, forcing many traders to transport goods across Lake Kivu. Insecurity has also made the cost of road transportation unaffordable for most people.
