DR Congo: At least 30 dead and dozens missing in Congo River boat collision
At least 30 people died and dozens more remained missing after a nighttime river collision in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to officials. The fatal accident occurred on Sunday evening, October 5, 2026, near the Ngombe-Lukolela area in Equateur province in the northwest of the country.
Two vessels crashed into each other while navigating the Congo River at night, officials announced on Monday. Crispin Mputu, interior minister of Equateur province, told the state-owned news agency Agence Congolaise Presse that a metal vessel named ‘Dieu se cache,’ was coming from Kinshasa,
the capital of the country, when it collided with a wooden vessel called ‘HB Super Victoire,’ [that] was coming from Businga.
Mputu stated that 30 people drowned during the incident and almost all the passengers on board were trapped underwater, and the boat itself also sank.
The interior minister added that the individuals who drowned have already been buried, while search-and-rescue efforts have been launched to try to find the dozens of people still reported missing.
Overloaded Vessel Crashes During Night Travel
It remains unclear what caused the crash, though Mputu noted that many accidents happen as boats travel at night. A security officer who witnessed the incident reported to The Associated Press news agency that the vessel travelling from Kinshasa was overloaded with goods.
Broader Safety Concerns in the Region
Boating tragedies frequently occur in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where late-night travel and overcrowded vessels are frequently blamed for accidents. Poor safety standards and a lack of infrastructure across remote parts of the country also contribute to these disasters, which have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people in recent years.
Prior to this incident in Equateur province, another disaster struck in July when a wooden boat transporting students back from state exams sank in the country’s Kasai province, killing at least 20 people.