Date | 15 February 2021 |
---|---|
Location | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Type | Ship sunk |
Deaths | 60+ |
Missing | 200+ |
On 15 February 2021, a ship sank in the Congo River in Mai-Ndombe province, near Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo [1] killing at least 60 people. [2]
An overloaded barge sank at around 20:00 local time near the village of Longola Ekoti in the province of Mai-Ndombe. [3] The boat was travelling 700 km along the Congo River, from Kinshasa to Mbandaka City, and over 700 people were on board. Only 300 people survived, while 60 were killed and the remaining passengers were unaccounted for. [4]
Minister for Humanitarian Actions Steve Mbikayi Mabuluki told Al-Jazeera that the primary reason for the incident was that the vessel had too many passengers and too much cargo on board. He told the media that "night navigation also played a role” – something that is prohibited in the DRC. [5] Meanwhile, according to locals, the boat hit a rock. [6]
In the days that followed, Mbikayi offered condolences to the families affected while also calling for sanctions against the transport companies involved. [5] President Félix Tshisekedi subsequently announced that life jackets were mandatory for all passengers.
The event coincided with the appointment of the new Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde. [1]
Ground transport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has always been difficult. The terrain and climate of the Congo Basin present serious barriers to road and rail construction, and the distances are enormous across this vast country. Furthermore, chronic economic mismanagement and internal conflict has led to serious under-investment over many years.
Lake Mai-Ndombe is a large freshwater lake in Mai-Ndombe province in western Democratic Republic of the Congo. The lake is within the Tumba-Ngiri-Maindombe area, the largest Wetland of International Importance recognized by the Ramsar Convention in the world.
Mai-Ndombe is one of the 21 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Mai-Ndombe, Kwango, and Kwilu provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Bandundu province. Mai-Ndombe was formed from the Plateaux and Mai-Ndombe districts. The town of Inongo was elevated to capital city of the new province.
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Events in the year 2021 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Events in the year 2021 in the Republic of the Congo.
Steve Mbikayi Mabuluki is a politician who is the Minister of Humanitarian Actions and National Solidarity under President Félix Tshisekedi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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