At least 143 dead in DR Congo boat fire on Congo River
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The vessel, reportedly overcrowded with passengers, burst into flames mid-transit, resulting in one of the deadliest Congo River accidents in recent years.
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Rescue efforts continue after the fire and sinking of a boat on the Congo River. (Junior Kannah/AFP/Getty Images)
At least 143 people have died and many others remain missing after a fuel-laden wooden boat caught fire and capsized on the Congo River near Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), officials reported on Friday.
The tragedy occurred on Tuesday at the junction of the Ruki and Congo Rivers—part of the world’s deepest river system. The vessel, reportedly overcrowded with passengers, burst into flames mid-transit, resulting in one of the deadliest Congo River accidents in recent years.
Rising death toll and missing passengers
“A first group of 131 bodies were found on Wednesday, with a further 12 recovered on Thursday and Friday. Several of them are charred,” said Josephine-Pacifique Lokumu, head of a delegation of national deputies from the region.
Joseph Lokondo, a local civil society leader who assisted with burials, said the Mbandaka boat tragedy may have claimed at least 145 lives, including women and children.
According to Lokumu, the fire ignited when “a woman lit the embers for cooking. The fuel, which was not far away, exploded, killing many.”
The exact number of people on board remains unknown. Lokumu estimated that the vessel had been carrying "hundreds" of passengers. Some survivors were taken to local hospitals for treatment, while many families continue to search for missing loved ones.
“Several families were still without news of their loved ones,” Lokondo said on Friday.
At least 148 people have died and hundreds remain missing after a motorized wooden boat, HB Kongolo, capsized on the Congo River. The fire began when a woman was cooking on board, and over 150 survivors, many with third-degree burns, are still without humanitarian aid.#Congo pic.twitter.com/LAEoKe5vJ8
— BuzzBrief (@WNongbri85599) April 19, 2025
Videos shared on social media showed the boat engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke rising over the water and smaller vessels attempting to approach.
Widespread reliance on river transport in DR Congo
Spanning 2.3 million square kilometers, the DRC faces serious infrastructure challenges. Poor road conditions and limited air transport leave many Congolese dependent on rivers and lakes for travel. These DR Congo transport safety gaps often result in deadly accidents.
Overcrowding, lack of safety measures, and the absence of passenger manifests complicate rescue and recovery efforts on the country's waterways.
This latest incident adds to a grim record of river transport disasters in Africa. In October 2023, at least 47 people died in a similar Congo River accident in Equateur Province. That same month, more than 20 people drowned when a vessel overturned on Lake Kivu. A 2019 shipwreck on Lake Kivu claimed approximately 100 lives.
