KINSHASA - Over 30 people were missing,presumed dead, in the Democratic Republic of Congo after theboat they were travelling in capsized on Monday, a localofficial said.
The United Nations peacekeeping mission was not able to givea toll, but said the accident appeared to have taken place amidstrong winds and poor weather. The boat was ferrying goods and at least 38 people acrossLake Kivu to the town of Bukavu when it tipped over and sank ataround 4 a.m. (0200 GMT), according to the provincial chief ofpolice, General Augustin Luzembo. "There were seven survivors," Luzembo told Reuters bytelephone from Bukavu, without giving any details as to why theboat sank. An official from the transport ministry in Kinshasa said itwas not yet clear how many people had died in the accident. U.N. spokesman Alexandre Essome said the mission was sendinga team to the scene. Luzembo said the boat was travelling to Bukavu from Minova,near the town of Goma in the north, when the accident happenednear the island of Ntaligeza, around 70 km (43 miles) fromBukavu. APP / AFP / Reuters