Boat carrying mostly athletes capsizes in Congo, 25 dead

A shipwreck in southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo has resulted in the deaths of 25 people, many of whom were soccer players. Local authorities announced the news on Monday and stated that they are investigating the cause of the accident.

According to Alexis Mputu, a spokesperson for the province, the accident occurred on Sunday evening when the players were returning from a match in Muashi, Mai-Ndombe province. The boat they were traveling on capsized on the Kwa River, leading to the tragic event. Mputu believes that low visibility at night may have been a contributing factor to the accident.

Renacle Kwatiba, the administrator of the Muashi area, stated that at least 30 people survived the accident. Currently, rescue operations have concluded, and relevant departments are conducting further investigations into the accident.

Fatal boat accidents are common in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The causes of these accidents often include nighttime navigation, overcrowding of vessels, and lax enforcement of maritime traffic regulations. Given that Congo's rivers are a primary mode of transportation for the country's population of over 100 million, especially in remote areas with underdeveloped infrastructure, the issue of waterway safety is particularly important. In recent years, hundreds of people have died in boat accidents as more people abandon the few roads available and opt to travel on crowded wooden boats.