A devastating fire on a wooden boat carrying fuel on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has killed at least 143 people, with dozens more missing, officials confirmed on Friday. The disaster unfolded on Tuesday near Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur Province, at the confluence of the Ruki and Congo rivers—the world’s deepest river system. The boat, overcrowded with hundreds of passengers, caught fire and capsized, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Josephine-Pacifique Lokumu, head of a delegation of national deputies from the region, reported that the fire was triggered by a fuel explosion caused by an onboard cooking fire. “A woman lit the embers for cooking. The fuel, which was not far away, exploded, killing many children and women,” Lokumu explained. By Wednesday, 131 bodies were recovered, with an additional 12 found on Thursday and Friday, many of them charred. Local civil society leader Joseph Lokondo, who assisted in burial efforts, estimated the death toll at 145, noting that some victims burned while others drowned.
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At least 143 dead in boat fire on the Congo River near Mbandaka, DR Congo.#KBCniYetu ^RO pic.twitter.com/O4zFZgG05F
— KBC Channel 1 News (@KBCChannel1) April 19, 2025
Social media videos captured the horrifying scene, showing flames engulfing the stranded vessel as thick smoke rose into the sky, with smaller boats nearby unable to intervene. While some survivors were rescued and hospitalized, Lokondo said many families were still searching for missing loved ones as of Friday. The exact number of passengers remains unclear but is believed to be in the hundreds.
The DRC, a vast nation spanning 2.3 million square kilometers, relies heavily on river travel due to limited road infrastructure and sparse air connectivity. Tragically, shipwrecks are common on the Congo River and its tributaries, often with high death tolls. The absence of passenger lists further complicates rescue and recovery efforts. This incident follows other recent tragedies, including a 2023 boat sinking in Equateur that killed 47 and a 2019 shipwreck on Lake Kivu that claimed around 100 lives.
Key Points: Deadly Boat Fire in Congo Leaves 143 Dead, Dozens Missing
- Fatal Incident: A wooden boat carrying fuel on the Congo River caught fire and capsized, killing at least 143 people near Mbandaka, Equateur Province, DRC.
- Cause of Fire: The blaze was sparked by a fuel explosion triggered by a cooking fire onboard, as reported by official Josephine-Pacifique Lokumu.
- Casualty Details: 131 bodies were recovered by Wednesday, with 12 more found by Friday; victims either burned or drowned, per local leader Joseph Lokondo.
- Survivors and Missing: Some survivors were hospitalized, but many families are still searching for missing loved ones; the total number of passengers is unknown but estimated in the hundreds.
- Visual Evidence: Social media videos showed flames and smoke billowing from the stranded boat, with onlookers on smaller vessels nearby.
- Systemic Issue: The DRC’s reliance on river travel due to poor infrastructure leads to frequent shipwrecks, worsened by a lack of passenger lists, complicating rescue efforts.
- Recent Tragedies: Similar incidents include a 2023 sinking in Equateur (47 deaths) and a 2019 shipwreck on Lake Kivu (around 100 deaths).
