This tragedy follows a separate boat capsizing on Lake Tanganyika just two days earlier that left at least 41 dead.
A vessel transporting fish traders capsized in Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Saturday night, killing at least 12 people and leaving dozens unaccounted for, local authorities confirmed.
The boat was carrying more than 50 passengers near Idjwi Island in South Kivu province when it overturned, according to Félix Habiragi, chief of the nearby village of Kisheke. The precise cause of the accident remains undetermined, though roughly 15 people were rescued from the water.
The vessel had departed from Bwina on Idjwi Island en route to Boza, laden with both traders and cargo, said local administrator Muhindo Ntambuka Pascal. Footage circulating from the scene depicted villagers and fellow passengers recovering bodies from the lake.
Maritime accidents are frequent in the DRC, where waterways serve as critical transport arteries for a population exceeding 100 million. Boats are routinely overloaded with passengers and goods, and life jackets are rarely worn despite regulatory efforts.
“Authorities have mandated the use of life jackets, yet compliance remains low,” noted Dorcelle Bagazane, a civil society representative in Idjwi.
The disaster compounds a grim week for the region. Earlier, at least 41 people perished and 49 were saved when an overloaded vessel capsized on Lake Tanganyika near the Congolese village of Mapera. That boat was reportedly carrying approximately 100 people and heavy cargo at the time of the accident.
