A boat carrying scores of passengers capsized on on Thursday, killing at least 50 people, witnesses told The Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear exactly how many people were on board or how many perished but witnesses said they saw rescue services recover at least 50 bodies from the water. They said 10 people survived and were taken to the local hospital.

The boat, overloaded with passengers, sank while trying to dock just meters (yards) away from the port of Kituku, the witnesses said. It was going from Minova in South Kivu province to Goma, in North Kivu province.

Local authorities said that the rescue efforts continued and the death toll remained unknown for the moment. In February, t after the vessel capsized on Lake Kivu.

香蕉视频直播淭his boat was carrying about a hundred people when it had the capacity for about thirty passengers,香蕉视频直播� the governor of the province of South Kivu Jean-Jacques Purusi told a local radio station following the accident.

It was the latest deadly boat accident in the central African country, where overcrowding on vessels is often to blame. Maritime regulations also are often not followed.

Congolese officials have often warned against overloading and vowed to punish those violating safety measures for water transportation. But in remote areas where most passengers come from, many are unable to afford public transport for the few available roads.

In June, an and 80 passengers lost their lives. In January, 22 people died on Lake Ma卯-Ndombe and in April 2023, six were killed and 64 went missing on Lake Kivu.

Witnesses said the boat that capsized on Thursday was visibly overcrowded.

香蕉视频直播淚 was at the port of Kituku when I saw the boat arriving from Minova, full of passengers,香蕉视频直播� Francine Munyi told the AP. 香蕉视频直播淚t started to lose its balance and sank into the lake. Some people threw themselves into the water.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淢any died, and few were saved,香蕉视频直播� she added. 香蕉视频直播淚 couldn香蕉视频直播檛 help them because I don香蕉视频直播檛 know how to swim.香蕉视频直播�

The victims香蕉视频直播� families and Goma residents gathered at the port of Kituku, accusing authorities of negligence in the face of growing insecurity in the region.

Since the made the road between the cities of Goma and Minova impassable, forcing the closure of the passage to trucks transporting food, many traders have resorted to maritime transport on Lake Kivu. It香蕉视频直播檚 an alternative considered safer than road traffic, which is threatened by insecurity.

But according to Elia Asumani, a shipping agent who works on this line, the situation has become dangerous:

香蕉视频直播淲e are afraid,香蕉视频直播� he told the AP. 香蕉视频直播淭his shipwreck was predictable.香蕉视频直播�

Bienfait Sematumba, 27, said he lost four family members.

香蕉视频直播淭hey are all dead. I am alone now,香蕉视频直播� he said, sobbing. 香蕉视频直播淚f the authorities had ended the war, this shipwreck would never have happened.香蕉视频直播�

The survivors, about 10 of them, were taken to Kyeshero hospital for treatment. One of them, Neema Chimanga, said she was still in shock.

香蕉视频直播淲e saw the boat start to fill with water halfway,香蕉视频直播� she recounted to the AP. 香蕉视频直播淭he door of the boat opened, and we tried to close it. But the water was already coming in, and the boat tilted.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 threw myself into the water and started swimming,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 know how I got out of the water.香蕉视频直播�