At least 60 people killed, several others missing as boat capsizes in Congo river

Butembo: In a tragic incident, at least 60 people died and several others went missing after a boat carrying around 700 capsized in the Congo river in Mai-Ndombe province on Monday. 

Steve Mbikayi, minister for humanitarian action, said that on Monday 700 people were on board the vessel that sunk near the village of Longola Ekoti, in Mai-Ndombe province, the previous night. 

"So far the rescue team has recovered 60 lifeless bodies and 300 survivors. There are still several missing after this shipwreck," Mbikayi said. 

The boat had departed from Kinshasa and was heading to Equator province.

"The main cause of the sinking remains the overload of goods and the excess number of passengers in the whaling boat," the minister said, adding "that night navigation also played a role in the sinking".