[1] Due to the fact that there are few paved roads in the Congo, rivers and lakes are often used to transport goods and people.
[3] Boat overcrowding and poor safety measures on ships have long been significant problems in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
[8] More recently, a boat capsized on Lake Kivu in the eastern part of the country in January 2024, killing most of its 50 passengers.
[9] On 10 June 2024 at around 23:00 CAT (UTC +2:00), an overloaded ship heading from Mushie to the town of Lebida[10] experienced engine failure, and crashed either into the shore[11] or into a second boat[12] and sank in the Kasai River.
[9] President Félix Tshisekedi said that victims will receive assistance and an investigation would be conducted into the cause of the disaster.