September 9 (EUROPA PRESS) –
At least four people have died and another eight are reported missing after a boat sank on the Kibali River in the province of Haut-Uele, in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), authorities confirmed on Monday.
The deputy governor of Haut-Uele, Christophe Dara Matata, said the incident occurred on Saturday on the Kibali River in Watsa territory, before attributing the incident to rising waters and a violation of the ban on boat trips on the river.
However, local sources cited by the Congolese news portal 7sur7 have specified that the collapse of a bridge over the river more than six months ago has forced the population to use boats to cross the Kibali, given the lack of other options.
Dara Matata has therefore committed to restoring pedestrian access to the bridge within three days, while motorcycles will have to wait between ten and 28 days, with no date set for vehicles, due to their greater tonnage.
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