Overview

• Authorities say two separate accidents in Equateur province this week caused at least 193 deaths, with dozens still unaccounted for.
• On Thursday near Malange in Lukolela territory, a whaleboat carrying nearly 500 people caught fire and capsized; 209 survivors were rescued and 146 people were reported missing.
• The burning vessel drifted downstream, destroyed its cargo, and ignited about 15 homes on the riverbank, according to the Social Affairs Ministry.
• On Wednesday in Basankusu territory, a motorized boat capsized, killing at least 86 people, most of them students, with state media citing improper loading and night navigation.
• Naval personnel and local volunteers continue search-and-rescue efforts as civil society groups question official tallies and fault weak enforcement of river transport rules.