At least 20 people have died and several others remain missing after a boat capsized on Lake Maï-Ndombe in northwestern Congo, local residents reported.
The vessel, which was headed to the capital, Kinshasa, overturned on Thursday night.
According to a statement from the local Catholic Diocese on Friday, a newly ordained deacon was among the victims.
Emmanuel Bola, a resident of Inongo, told The Associated Press by phone that the boat was traveling from the town of Kiri to Kinshasa when it capsized between the villages of Bobeni and Lobeke around 8 p.m.
The Congolese government has yet to confirm an official death toll.
Kevani Nkoso, governor of Maï-Ndombe province, said on national television that authorities are “awaiting details from the teams deployed to the field to determine the number of people killed and the number of survivors.”
Boat accidents have become increasingly common in the central African country as many residents turn to overcrowded wooden vessels due to the lack of usable roads.
Life jackets are scarce, boats are often overloaded, and many journeys take place at night, complicating rescue efforts.
Earlier this month, another boat accident left 64 people missing.
In September, at least 193 people died in two separate incidents in northwestern Congo, which state media attributed to overloading and night-time navigation.
