27 Dead, 54 Missing, In DR Congo Boat Sinking

At least 27 people have perished and 54 are missing after an overcrowded boat sank in a river in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a local official said Sunday.

Most of the victims of the tragedy on the Kasai river were students on holiday, local administrator Jacques Mbila told AFP.

The main reasons for the sinking were “overcrowding and drunk drivers”, Mbila added.

The accident happened overnight Thursday to Friday on the river Congo in the Idiofa area in the southwest of the vast country.