TWENTY people have died and several remain missing after a boat capsized in the northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to local residents.
The incident has caused significant sorrow in communities that depend on water transport to move between towns and villages.
The boat, traveling from Kiri to Kinshasa, overturned on Thursday night between the villages of Bobeni and Lobeke. A recently ordained Catholic deacon was among the passengers, the local diocese confirmed.
Emmanuel Bola, a resident of Inongo, told The Associated Press the accident occurred around 8 p.m. when the boat suddenly capsized. Several individuals were rescued, but search efforts for additional survivors are still underway.
The Congolese government has not yet released an official death toll. The governor of Maï-Ndombe, Kevani Nkoso, stated they are awaiting full information from rescue teams on the scene to determine the exact number of victims and survivors.