At least 58 people have died after a boat capsized in the Mpako River in the Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui. The accident happened on the way to the village head’s funeral. The boat was carrying about 300 passengers over capacity, the head of the country’s civil protection department said.
This information was reported in a report of the British media BBC on Saturday, (April 20) night.
At least 58 people have died after a passenger ferry capsized in the Central African Republic, officials said. Most of the 300 people on board were on their way to attend a funeral and sank en route.
The head of the civil protection department, Tomas Dezimas, told Radio Guira that 58 bodies have been recovered so far in the boat sinking incident. We don’t know how many people are still missing.
However, no one from the civil protection department was seen at the scene yesterday, AFP said. Family members are searching for the bodies of missing relatives in the river with the help of canoes.
Footage of the accident circulating on social media showed people trying to reach the river bank or jumping into the water after the ferry capsized.
A witness told French-language broadcaster RFI that what had just happened was horrific. I know a family who lost seven relatives in this tragedy.
