More than 80 passengers killed in latest boat accident: Congo president | World news

A boat with more than 270 passengers on board capsized on a river near the Congolese capital Kinshasa, killing more than 80 people, President Flix Tshisekedi said on Wednesday.

It was the latest fatal boating accident in the central African country, which is often blamed on overloading. Dozens of people lost their lives in February when an overloaded boat sank.

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The statement quoted President Flix Tshisekedi as saying the domestically made boat capsized on the Kwa River in Ma-Ndombe province late Monday.

The boat was carrying 271 passengers on its way to Kinshasa when it broke down due to engine failure, reported the United Nations-backed broadcaster Radio Okapi, citing Ren Maker, the water commissioner for the Mushi district, where the accident occurred.

Eighty-six of the passengers died, while 185 managed to swim to shore, about 70 kilometers (43 miles) near the nearest town of Mushie, Maker said.

He said the boat hit the edge of the river and broke apart.

Congolese officials have often warned against overloading and vowed to punish those who violate water transport safety measures. But in remote areas where most passengers come from, many cannot afford public transport on the few roads available.