Tragedy struck in the Central African Republic's capital, Bangui, as approximately 50 individuals lost their lives when the riverboat they were traveling on capsized on Friday. The victims, en route to a village funeral, met with disaster in the waters of the Mpoko River.
Thomas Djimasse, head of the civil protection department, revealed that authorities were alerted to the incident 40 minutes after it occurred. Despite swift response from rescuers, around 50 lifeless bodies were recovered from the river. Efforts to locate additional victims were ongoing, with fears that more individuals may have drowned in the turbulent waters.
Government spokesperson Maxime Balalou provided a death toll exceeding 30 and urged for stricter adherence to river transport safety regulations. The incident underscores the importance of prioritizing safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
