Sinking of the whaling boat “Mapamboli” in the DRC: the Ministry of Transport announces 47 deaths and missing people.
A tragic shipwreck occurred off the coast of Mbandaka, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Friday October 13, 2023. The whaleboat “Mapamboli” sank, causing the death of at least 47 people and the disappearance of many others . The results were officially announced by the Congolese Minister of Transport, Communication Routes and Opening Up, Marc Ekila, during a briefing in Kinshasa on Monday October 16, 2023.
Precise identification of the number of missing is difficult, because the boat did not have a manifest of the passengers on board. However, the authorities have set up a commission of inquiry to establish responsibility for this tragedy. At the same time, a judicial investigation was opened to shed light on the circumstances of the sinking.
The Ministry of Transport has also taken measures to prevent such accidents in the future. The process of identifying all floating devices was launched, and it was decided to prohibit the commissioning of whaling vessels more than five years old. In addition, the transport of goods and people will now be separated, and wooden whaleboats older than five years will no longer be authorized to circulate in the DRC.
This tragic shipwreck highlights the need to strengthen security measures on Congolese waterways. According to official statistics, the DRC has already recorded 88 accidents of this type since the start of the year. It is urgent to take concrete measures to avoid such tragedies in the future and ensure the safety of passengers sailing on Congolese waters.
A sad reminder of the fragility of human life, this tragic event is a call to action to strengthen safety standards and prevent such accidents. The DRC must put in place rigorous measures to guarantee the safety of river transport and protect the lives of its citizens. Hopefully this tragedy will serve as a catalyst for significant change in the DRC’s transport sector and for better protection of travelers on waterways.