At least 41 people have died and dozens remain missing after a passenger vessel capsized on Lake Tanganyika in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as local authorities confirmed.
The boat was traveling from Kigoma, Tanzania to the city of Kalemie in Congo's Tanganyika province when it sank near Mapera village on Thursday.
According to provincial transport minister the Vessel Norris Mulongoyi was carrying approximately 100 passengers alongside cargo. Search and rescue operations are ongoing with 49 survivors including children and Tanzanian nationals rescued so far.
The exact cause of the capsizing remains unclear and official investigations are underway.
Lake Tanganyika world’s longest freshwater lake serves as a vital transport route connecting rural communities across Central Africa. However the maritime accidents are common in the region due to vessel overloading, night travel, outdated wooden boats and a widespread lack of safety equipment like life jackets.
This disaster highlights persistent safety gaps in the DRC's water transport sector where inadequate infrastructure leaves remote populations with few reliable transit alternatives. Emergency teams continue to scour the lake for missing passengers.
