At least 12 dead after boat capsizes on Congo’s Lake Kivu

At least 12 people died and dozens remained missing after a vessel carrying fish traders and goods capsized near Idjwi Island on Lake Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local authorities told the Associated Press. The accident happened on Saturday night, and the first reports were published on Sunday. A village chief said more than 50 people were aboard and about 15 had been rescued.

The boat was travelling from Bwina on Idjwi Island toward Boza, according to a local administrator. Its cause of sinking was not immediately clear. The passenger count, number of people missing and confirmed death toll may change as search work and identification continue. Officials have not established that this accident is linked to a separate sinking on Lake Tanganyika earlier in the week, in which at least 41 people were reported dead.

Lakes and rivers are crucial transport routes for many Congolese communities. The repeated loss of life focuses attention on the availability of safe vessels and protective equipment, while families await firmer information about those still unaccounted for.