At least 193 people died in two separate boat accidents that occurred within 24 hours of each other in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Equateur province on September 10 and 11, 2025.
The first accident occurred on Wednesday, September 10, when a motorized boat capsized in the Basankusu territory of the province, killing at least 86 people. Most of the victims were students, according to state media reports. Several people remain missing from this incident, though authorities have not provided an exact figure.
State media attributed the Wednesday accident to “improper loading and night navigation,” citing reports from the scene. Images from the accident site showed villagers gathered around bodies as they mourned the victims.
A day later, on Thursday evening, September 11, a second tragedy struck approximately 150 kilometers away. A boat carrying nearly 500 passengers caught fire and capsized along the Congo River in the province’s Lukolela territory, near the village of Malange. This accident claimed 107 lives, according to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
Rescue teams managed to save 209 survivors from Thursday’s accident involving the whaleboat. However, 146 people remain missing and are presumed dead. The cause of the fire that led to the capsizing has not been determined, and it remains unclear whether rescue operations continued beyond Friday evening.
A local civil society group disputed the government’s account of Wednesday’s accident, blaming authorities for the incident and claiming the actual death toll was higher than officially reported. A memo from the Ministry of Social Affairs, obtained by Reuters, confirmed 146 people were missing from Thursday’s accident.
Search operations involved naval personnel and community volunteers who combed the riverbanks following both accidents. Authorities pledged to provide medical care for the injured, assistance to bereaved families, and repatriation services for survivors to help them reach their intended destinations or return to their places of origin.
These accidents highlight the ongoing dangers of river transport in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s vast rainforest regions. River vessels serve as the primary form of transportation between villages in these remote areas, often providing a cheaper alternative to traveling on the country’s limited road network.
The boats used for these journeys are typically old, wooden vessels that are poorly maintained and frequently overloaded with passengers and cargo. Life jackets are rarely available during such trips, and many vessels operate at night, which complicates rescue efforts when accidents occur and often leaves bodies unaccounted for.
Rescue operations in these incidents are frequently hampered by limited resources and the remote locations where accidents typically occur. The challenging geography and lack of infrastructure in these rainforest regions make emergency response particularly difficult.
Boat accidents have become increasingly common in the central African nation as more people abandon the few available roads in favor of cheaper water transport. The vessels often crumble under the weight of passengers and their goods, leading to frequent capsizing incidents.
Last year, Congolese officials issued warnings against the practice of overloading boats and vowed to punish those who violate safety measures for water transportation. The warning came after more than 80 people died in June when a boat carrying over 270 passengers capsized on a river near Kinshasa, the country’s capital.
Despite these official warnings, boats continue to be overloaded because many passengers from remote areas cannot afford public transport on the limited available roads. The economic pressures faced by residents in these isolated regions often force them to choose dangerous water transport options.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s rivers serve as crucial transportation arteries for the country’s more than 100 million people, particularly in areas where road infrastructure is poor or nonexistent. However, authorities have consistently struggled to enforce maritime safety regulations in these remote waterways.
The September accidents represent some of the deadliest boat disasters in recent years for the Democratic Republic of Congo, underscoring the persistent challenges facing water transportation safety in the region.
