At least 25 people lost their lives, and several others remain missing after a boat overturned in the Kwa River, near the Democratic Republic of Congo’s western Mai-Ndombe province, local media reported on Monday.
Provincial government spokesperson Alexis Mputu stated that the provisional toll stood at 25 dead and 30 survivors, attributing the accident to night navigation, according to local news outlet Actualite.cd.
The boat was carrying football players from Ngambomi village, who were returning from a match in Mushie town. It capsized around 11 p.m. (2200 GMT) on Sunday, about 12 kilometers (over seven miles) from Mushie port.
Authorities at the Mushie police station confirmed the incident but did not provide further details.
Boat accidents are common in the region. In December, a vessel traveling to Inongo town capsized near Mai-Ndombe, adding to a series of similar tragedies in the country’s waterways.