Devastating fire in the Congo River: Hundreds of victims and missing in a boat sinking incident.

At least 148 people have died in a horrific boat sinking and fire in the Congo River in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo, in a tragic incident that occurred last Tuesday evening and continues to shake the country. The disaster happened as the wooden boat named "MV Kongolo," carrying around 500 passengers on a night journey from Matadi port to Bolomba, suddenly caught fire. Initial investigations revealed that the fire sparked after a passenger attempted to cook on board, turning the trip into a nightmare. Panic spread rapidly among the passengers, leading many to jump into the river to escape the flames, despite many not being able to swim, resulting in a large number of drownings. The tragedy does not end there, as Senator Jean-Paul Bukitsoku Bofili announced that over 150 survivors are currently suffering from severe third-degree burns, while the victims have not received any humanitarian support yet. A significant number of the victims were women and children, with over 100 people still missing. Search and rescue operations led by teams supported by the Red Cross and regional authorities are ongoing but facing significant challenges due to the strong currents and complex terrain of the Congo River, one of the world's most dangerous rivers in terms of navigation. This tragedy once again highlights the reality of river transportation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where disasters recur due to overcrowding, lax safety measures, night travel, amid a governmental failure to enforce control in remote areas.