Mbandaka, October 5th, 2026 (CPA).- About a dozen people have died and several others are missing following a sinking that occurred on the night from Saturday to Sunday at the 5 Tonneaux area on the Congo River, in Equateur Province, western Democratic Republic of the Congo, CPA learned Monday from an official source. “The provisional toll stands at about a dozen deaths, several missing persons and 57 survivors,” said Provincial Minister of Interior Chrispin Mputu.
Minister Mputu said the accident resulted from a collision between two floating units. The first, a metal vessel named “Dieu se cache,” was coming from Kinshasa, while the second, a wooden vessel called “HB Super Victoire,” was coming from Businga, in South-Ubangi Province. It was the latter vessel, which was carrying about 100 passengers, that capsized.
According to the Provincial Minister of Interior, nighttime navigation and the lack of signal lights are believed to have caused the accident. He said the 57 survivors were being assisted by the provincial government, notably through the administrator of Lukolela Territory. “Arrangements have been made to continue search operations, recover the bodies of missing persons and proceed with the burial of the victims,” he added, noting that the capsized vessel remains underwater and could still contain some bodies.