**Missing item: Ten people found lifeless after a shipwreck in the Kwa River, Maï-Ndombe province**
On June 13, a tragedy struck the small community along the Kwa River, in the province of Maï-Ndombe. The troubled waters of this river were the scene of a tragic shipwreck, leading to the disappearance of ten individuals. Emergency services found the lifeless bodies of five men and five women, bringing a heavy toll from this sinister disaster.
The Bolobo territory administrator, Jonathan Ipoma, went to the scene of the tragedy to see the extent of the damage. His voice, full of emotion, testifies to the scale of the tragedy that befell his region. He deplores the precarious conditions in which river transport operates in the province of Maï-Ndombe. Jonathan Ipoma is sounding the alarm and calling on authorities to act to improve the safety of maritime travel, to prevent more lives from being swallowed up by the river’s merciless waters.
The province of Maï-Ndombe, rich in its lake resources, suffers from a severe lack of suitable transport infrastructure. The dilapidated boats, overloaded and operating in precarious conditions, have become the scene of all-too-frequent tragedies. The local population faces perilous journeys, often at night, endangering the lives of passengers and local residents. The need for urgent action to improve safety standards in the inland waterway transport sector is a top priority.
This recent shipwreck recalls the tragedy that occurred a few months ago, when more than 80 people were missing after the capsize of a whaleboat carrying hundreds of passengers from Mushi to Kinshasa. These recurring tragedies call into question the capacity of the authorities to guarantee the safety of maritime travel in this region.
It is high time that concrete and lasting measures were put in place to ensure the safety and well-being of residents of Maï-Ndombe. The tragic lessons of these shipwrecks must serve as a catalyst for profound change in the regulation and supervision of river transport. The life of every individual matters, and it is the duty of the authorities to guarantee the safety of all, even on the tumultuous waves of the Kwa River.