Death toll rises to six after boat sinks in river in southwestern DRC

September 18 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The death toll from a boat sinking on the Kwango River near the town of the same name in southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Monday has risen to six, while search teams are still trying to locate more than 50 missing people.

The deputy governor of Kwango, Rémy Saki, said that two bodies had been recovered from the waters in the last few hours and that the dead were four adults – two women and two men – and two children, according to the Congolese news portal Actualité.

The authorities also confirmed that a total of 79 people have been rescued alive after the sinking of the boat, which was carrying an estimated 150 passengers at the time of the incident, which occurred when the boat collided with a bridge after starting its journey.