Up to 40 feared dead in Congo ferry accident

KINSHASA - Up to 40 people are missing and feared dead after two overloaded ferries capsized while crossing the swollen Congo river, United Nations and government officials said.

Boat disasters are relatively common in the Democratic Republic of Congo where years of war and neglect have destroyed infrastructure and the mighty Congo river is often the only method of travel through the vast African country.

The accident took place late on Tuesday evening on a stretch of the river in Kisangani, the former Zaire's third largest town, when two boats tied together and sharing one engine capsized in fast flowing water, the officials said.

"A fire broke out on one of the boats in the middle of the river, people panicked and, while they were trying to climb into the other boat, both vessels tipped over," UN spokesman Leocadio Salmeron said by phone from Kisangani.

"There are varying figures for the casualties -- some say there were 80 onboard, others say there were 70. But the authorities have registered 36 survivors and two dead bodies, so we think there could be as many as 40 people missing," he said.

The Congo river flows through Kisangani and boats ferry people between heavily-populated neighbourhoods on the left bank and the main markets across the river.

Theo Baruti, the governor of Oriental province, told Reuters that the Red Cross and the UN were helping government authorities with the rescue effort.

"We have set up an emergency committee and organised for people to go to the edge of the river to look out for survivors and bodies. But we fear that those we haven't found are dead."

- REUTERS