Deadly Shipwreck in DR Congo: At Least 20 Dead, Dozens Missing as Students Drown After Exams

A tragic boat accident in central Democratic Republic of the Congo has left at least 20 people dead, many of them students who had just completed their state exams. The wooden vessel, overloaded and poorly maintained, sank Friday as it entered the confluence of the Sankuru and Kasai rivers in Kasai province, according to local authorities.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene as the ferry went down, with passengers scrambling for safety in the murky waters. Francois Kabula, the administrator of Ilebo territory, confirmed 80 survivors were rescued and 20 bodies recovered, but fears remain that the death toll could climb.

Tshikudi Jean, a witness, told the Associated Press that the boat was carrying more than 200 people — far exceeding its safe capacity. “The shipowners in the DRC are only after money and don’t care about human lives,” said Francois Malepo, head of the Ilebo civil society organization, echoing a long-standing frustration.

Deadly boat accidents are alarmingly common in DR Congo, where vast river networks serve as the primary transportation arteries in remote regions. Overcrowding, nighttime navigation, and substandard safety measures are frequently blamed. The lack of reliable infrastructure and enforcement of basic maritime regulations has contributed to hundreds of fatalities in recent years, often turning routine journeys into tragedies.

This latest disaster has reignited calls for stricter oversight and investment in safer water transport, particularly in the lead-up to peak travel seasons. For the families of the victims, many of whom had sent their children off with hopes of a brighter future, the loss is compounded by the preventable nature of the incident.