Overview

• On June 12, two overloaded boats carrying more than 100 passengers capsized on Lake Tumba in Equateur Province, resulting in at least 32 deaths and leaving dozens missing.
• Heavy rain churned the lake into turbulent waves that overturned the vessels after they departed Bikoro despite warnings about unstable conditions.
• Witnesses reported overcrowding so severe that some passengers were turned away, and officials said the boats had been hired for a funeral from an unauthorized embarkation point.
• Rescue teams continue to search for survivors but lack vessels, life jackets and fuel, forcing them to rely on private canoes for recovery operations.
• The incident underscores Congo’s reliance on water transport where weak safety oversight and poor infrastructure contribute to recurring deadly boating accidents.