At least 12 dead and dozens missing after a vessel capsizes on Lake Kivu in eastern DR Congo
26 September 2026
A vessel carrying more than 50 people capsized on Lake Kivu near Idjwi Island in South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the night of Saturday, 26 September 2026.
At least 12 people were killed and dozens remained missing; about 15 people were rescued.
The vessel was carrying fish traders and goods from Bwina on Idjwi Island to Boza.
Local authorities said the cause of the accident was not immediately known.
Earlier the same week, at least 41 people died when a boat capsized on Lake Tanganyika near the Congolese village of Mapera.
Rivers and lakes are a major means of transport in the DRC for over 100 million people.
In plain words
DRC Democratic Republic of Congo — A large country in central Africa, with its capital at Kinshasa.
Lake Kivu — A large lake in the eastern DRC, crossed every day by many boats carrying people and goods.