Overview

• Authorities report two separate incidents this week in Equateur province, with fatal sinkings a day apart in Basankusu and near Lukolela.
• In the Lukolela case, a vessel carrying around 500 people caught fire and capsized, leaving 107 dead and 209 rescued as the search for the missing continues.
• State media say at least 86 people died in the Basankusu sinking, with reports indicating many of the victims were students.
• Officials have not confirmed exact causes, though state outlets point to excess loading and nocturnal navigation as likely factors, and casualty figures remain provisional.
• Civil society groups fault weak enforcement of river safety rules, while the prime minister ordered a mobilization to aid victims and stricter application of navigation measures.