Dr. At least 143 killed in Congo boat fire, dozens are still missing

Officials said on Friday that at least 143 people have died and dozens of people were missing after a fuel-laden boat on the Congo river in the North-Western Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday.
Josephine-Pacific Lokumu, a member of Parliament, said, “A first group of 131 bodies was found on Wednesday, with 12 and 12 on Thursday and Friday.
The tragedy occurred earlier this week, but the details have slowed down due to the remoteness of the region. Officers and local volunteers are continuing search and recovery efforts with the river.
Joseph Lokondo, leader of a local civil society, who assisted in burial, said “provisional death toll [stands] At 145: Some were burnt, others drowned. ,
While the exact cause of the fire is not clear, preliminary reports suggest that the vessel was transporting both passengers and flammable cargo. Incidents of overload and poor river transportation are common in DRC, where waterways are a major method of transportation.
Government officials have not yet released an official list of missing persons.