At least 20 dead, more than 100 missing after overloaded boat sinks in the DRC

At least 20 people have died and more than 100 others are missing after an overloaded riverboat sank in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to local media.

The boat was carrying more than 200 people when it sank late Wednesday where two rivers meet in Kasai province, according to local authorities cited by Radio Okapi. The vessel was traveling on a commercial route used to move people between remote communities.

François Kabula, a local administrator, said 20 bodies had been recovered and 80 survivors had been accounted for. More than 100 people remain missing, and officials said the death toll is still provisional.

Local authorities said the boat appeared to have been overloaded. Many of those on board were students who were returning home after taking state exams.

The boat left port illegally at about 10 p.m. to avoid safety checks and hide the number of passengers on board, local sources told Radio Okapi. It broke apart and sank when it reached the meeting point of the Kasai and Sankuru rivers.

The survivors were rescued by fishermen who were nearby when the boat went down. Search efforts are continuing.

Boat accidents are common in parts of Congo, where river transport is widely used because of poor road networks. Many vessels are overloaded, lack passenger manifests and operate with limited safety oversight.