 Sunset view from Kalonda | |
| Date | 12 June 2024 |
|---|---|
| Location | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Type | Ship sinking |
| Deaths | At least 86 (including 21 children) [1] |
On 10 June 2024, the ship HB la Saintet sank in the Kwa River, a tributary of the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least 86 people [2] including 21 children. [1]
Due to the fact that there are few paved roads in the Congo, rivers and lakes are often used to transport goods and people. [3] Boat overcrowding and poor safety measures on ships have long been significant problems in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [4] [5] Not all passengers are able to swim and they are rarely provided with lifevests. [6]
A ferry capsized on the Kasai River in 2010, killing between 80 and 140 people. [7] Another overcrowded ship was overturned in Mbandaka and killed at least 52 in October 2023. [8] More recently, a boat capsized on Lake Kivu in the eastern part of the country in January 2024, killing most of its 50 passengers. [9]
On 10 June 2024 at around 23:00 CAT (UTC +2:00), an overloaded ship heading from Mushie to the town of Lebida [10] experienced engine failure, and crashed either into the shore [11] or into a second boat [12] and sank in the Kasai River. [13]
The incident occurred in Mai-Ndombe Province, about 70 km (43 mi) from Mushie. Out of 271 people on the ship, 86 died, including 21 children. Over 100 people were rescued, [2] and according to a Mushi District commissioner, as many as 185 were able to swim to the shore. [14]
According to one official, the boat was carrying bags of cement in addition to the passengers, and was overloaded. [9]
President Félix Tshisekedi said that victims will receive assistance and an investigation would be conducted into the cause of the disaster. [13]
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.
Capsizing or keeling over occurs when a boat or ship is rolled on its side or further by wave action, instability or wind force beyond the angle of positive static stability or it is upside down in the water. The act of recovering a vessel from a capsize is called righting. Capsize may result from broaching, knockdown, loss of stability due to cargo shifting or flooding, or in high speed boats, from turning too fast.
Rail transport is provided in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo (SNCC), the Société commerciale des transports et des ports (SCTP) (previously Office National des Transports until 2011), and the Office des Chemins de fer des Ueles (CFU).
Mai-Ndombe is one of the 21 newest provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning when the former Bandundu province was split-up into the new provinces of Mai-Ndombe, Kwango, and Kwilu. Mai-Ndombe was formed from the Plateaux and Mai-Ndombe districts, with the town of Inongo being elevated to the capital city of the new province.
Mushie is a town in Mai-Ndombe province, Democratic Republic of the Congo and is the administrative center of Mushie Territory. It lies at an elevation of 1118 ft, on the northern bank of the Kasai River at its confluence with the Fimi River. Mushie's population is roughly 33,000. Mushie was the birthplace of the celebrated Congolese musician Papa Wendo. The town is served by Mushie Airport.
On 29 July 2010, an overloaded passenger ferry capsized on the Kasai River in Bandundu province, east of Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At least 80 people were confirmed to have died, with other accounts putting this figure closer to 140.
Bulgaria was a class 785/OL800 Russian river cruise ship which operated in the Volga-Don basin. On 10 July 2011, Bulgaria sank in the Kuybyshev Reservoir of the Volga River near Syukeyevo, Kamsko-Ustyinsky District, Tatarstan, Russia, with 201 passengers and crew aboard when sailing from the town of Bolgar to the regional capital, Kazan. The catastrophe led to 122 confirmed deaths.
The capsize of the ferry Pearl occurred on Thursday 13 February 1896 in the Brisbane River, Queensland, Australia. It was estimated that half of the 80–100 people on board the ferry died.
On March 22, 2014, a boat traveling on Africa's Lake Albert capsized. According to local police, 45 survivors were rescued. Officially, 251 people died in the accident.
The following lists events that happened during 2014 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The sinking of Kim Nirvana-B occurred on the morning of 2 July 2015, en route from Ormoc to Pilar in Ponson Island, among the Camotes Islands. It was reported that the ship, a motorized bangka, was overloaded with passengers and cargo that led to it capsizing after making a sharp turn.
On 14 January 2017, a boat carrying more than 40 passengers capsized in the Ganges in the Indian city of Patna, Bihar, killing 25 people. The boat was about to reach the bank when it capsized. Overloading is suspected to be the cause of the accident.
On 15 February 2021, a ship sank in the Congo River in Mai-Ndombe province, near Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo killing at least 60 people.
On 30 November 2021, a severely overloaded boat carrying more than 50 people, mostly children aged between 8 and 15, capsized on the Watari Dam in Kano State, Nigeria. At least 29 are confirmed dead and 13 more are missing.
On 12 June 2023, a vessel capsized and split in two in the Niger River near Pategi, Kwara State, Nigeria. The boat was carrying attendees of a wedding, who came initially on motorcycles, but were stranded due to heavy rain. At least 108 people have been confirmed dead. Dozens are missing.
Events of the year 2024 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
