A woman cooking on a boat led to a catastrophic fire in Congo that killed 50 and left hundreds missing after a vessel carrying 400 people was engulfed in flames and capsized.
At a Glance
- A motorized wooden boat named HB Kongolo caught fire and capsized in the Congo River, killing at least 50 people
- The disaster began when a woman was cooking onboard the vessel that was carrying approximately 400 passengers
- Many survivors suffered severe burns and about 100 people are currently sheltered at the Mbandaka town hall
- The incident highlights Congo’s ongoing problem with deadly boat accidents due to overcrowding and lack of maritime regulation enforcement
Deadly Disaster Unfolds on Congo River
Another preventable tragedy has struck in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where basic safety standards seem optional at best. Late Tuesday night, a motorized wooden boat carrying about 400 passengers caught fire near the town of Mbandaka, resulting in at least 50 deaths with hundreds more still missing. The vessel, identified as HB Kongolo, was traveling from the port of Matankumu to Bolomba territory when disaster struck in a manner that would be almost comical if it weren’t so deadly serious – a woman cooking on a crowded wooden boat somehow seemed like a good idea to everyone involved.
A boat catches fire in DR Congo and capsizes, leaving at least 50 people dead and 100 missing. pic.twitter.com/xesDfWvNOM
— African News feed. (@africansinnews) April 16, 2025
The conflagration quickly engulfed the overcrowded vessel, causing it to capsize and throwing passengers – including women and children – into the river where many drowned. Survivors reported chaotic scenes as people desperately tried to escape the flames by jumping into the water, many with severe burns. Approximately 100 of the fortunate survivors have been provided temporary shelter at the Mbandaka town hall, while others with critical injuries were transported to local hospitals where medical resources are likely stretched thin.
Regulation Without Enforcement
This latest disaster highlights the ongoing issue of unsafe transportation in Congo, where rivers serve as critical transportation routes in a country with minimal infrastructure. Officials expressed shock and concern, as they always do after these incidents, while conveniently ignoring the regulatory failures that make such accidents not just possible but predictable. Boat accidents occur with alarming frequency in Congo, primarily due to severe overcrowding and the government’s apparent inability or unwillingness to enforce basic maritime safety regulations.
“The motorized wooden boat with about 400 passengers caught fire near the town of Mbandaka,” Compétent Loyoko, the river commissioner, told The Associated Press.
How a boat supposedly under some form of government oversight was allowed to carry 400 people without basic fire safety measures remains unexplained. The river commissioner himself confirmed the absurd circumstances that led to the tragedy, stating that “the incident began while a woman was cooking on board.” Apparently, the concept of not having open flames on wooden vessels packed with hundreds of people hasn’t made it into Congo’s maritime safety guidelines – or if it has, nobody bothered to enforce it.
Rescue Efforts Continue
The search for missing passengers continues with support from the Red Cross and provincial authorities, though hope dims with each passing hour. Rescue teams face significant challenges in the vast Congo River, where currents can be strong and visibility poor. The river, while a lifeline for transportation in a country with limited road infrastructure, has become a recurring scene of preventable tragedies due to systemic safety failures and lack of meaningful government oversight.
“A boat has capsized after catching fire in northwestern Congo, leaving at least 50 people dead and hundreds missing,” a local official said on Wednesday.
For the families of victims, the tragedy represents not just a personal loss but a failure of governance. In a functioning system, such disasters would lead to meaningful reforms and accountability. Yet history suggests this incident will join a long list of similar accidents that briefly capture attention before fading away with no substantial changes to prevent future catastrophes. Until basic safety standards are not just written but enforced, the Congo River will continue to claim lives in tragedies that are entirely preventable.
