A tragic riverboat accident in the western Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of at least 22 people, a local official reported on Wednesday.

The disaster occurred after the boat's overcrowded upper deck collapsed, leading to its sinking.

Boating accidents are alarmingly frequent in Congo, where wooden vessels, often old and overloaded, serve as the primary mode of transport between remote villages. These unsafe practices contribute significantly to such tragedies.

PHOTO | COURTESY The accident

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The ill-fated boat was carrying around 100 passengers when it sank on Tuesday in the Mai-Ndombe province. Among the victims were 15 women, five men, and two children.

Governor Lebon Nkoso Kevani highlighted the urgent need for safer metal boats to prevent similar incidents. "Until we replace these wooden boats with metallic ones, shipwrecks will remain inevitable. Thousands of these wooden vessels navigate the waters of Mai-Ndombe daily," he told Reuters.

This latest tragedy follows a deadly boat accident in October when 78 people drowned after a vessel carrying 278 passengers capsized in Lake Kivu, eastern Congo.

Anicet Babanga, a senator for Mai-Ndombe province, confirmed that approximately 30 people survived Tuesday's sinking. Search operations are ongoing to determine the fate of the remaining passengers.