Congo river barge capsizes, leaving 64 people missing

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KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A boat capsized in central Congo, leaving 64 people missing, authorities said Wednesday.

The river barge sank on Monday on the mouth of the Sankuru River in Kasai province, an area known for its powerful and turbulent currents, local administrator François Ahaka told The Associated Press.

“The boat initially had 120 passengers on board. So far, we have 56 survivors and 64 people missing,” he said, adding that search efforts were still underway.

The vessel had left the port of Bena Dibele in Sankuru province on Nov. 13, bound for the capital, Kinshasa, which is located more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) from its point of departure, Ahaka said.

The capsizing of boats is becoming increasingly frequent in this central African nation as more people are abandoning the few available roads for cheaper, wooden vessels crumbling under the weight of passengers and their goods.

In such trips, life jackets are rare and the vessels are usually overloaded.

Many of the boats also travel at night, complicating rescue efforts during capsizings and leaving many bodies often unaccounted for.

In September, at least 193 people died in northwestern Congo in two separate boat tragedies, which state media attributed to “improper loading and night navigation."