The recurrent breakdowns of SILIMU boats on Lake Kivu are causing great concern in Goma. Yvan Simweray, a political actor in the region, recently issued an alert to the provincial government of North Kivu, inviting them to investigate this worrying situation.
The most recent incident took place when the boat Emmanuel 3 of the SILIMU establishment was immobilized in the middle of Lake Kivu due to engine failure. The passengers on board were panicked by this situation. This is unfortunately not the first time that such an incident has occurred, as Yvan Simweray pointed out.
It is important to take into account that we are currently in the dry season, which can lead to stronger waves on Lake Kivu. This makes engine failure even more dangerous for passengers.
Yvan Simweray warns against the risk of shipwrecks and pleads for preventive measures to avoid family tragedies. He asks the competent authorities to carry out in-depth investigations to understand the reasons behind these recurring outages.
For their part, the managers of the SILIMU establishments justified these breakdowns by technical problems. They quickly dispatched technicians to repair the immobilized boat’s engine, allowing the crew to continue the journey to Goma. The passengers meanwhile were transferred to another boat that came to their rescue.
Despite this rapid resolution of the incident, it is essential that measures are taken to ensure the safety of passengers on Lake Kivu. The recurring breakdowns of SILIMU boats raise questions about the maintenance and safety of these vessels.
In conclusion, it is imperative that the provincial government of North Kivu take this alert seriously and carry out thorough investigations in order to guarantee the safety of passengers on Lake Kivu. It is essential to prevent such incidents, in order to avoid human tragedies and to promote safe and reliable lake transport