KINSHASA, June 3 (Xinhua) -- More than 60 people were missing after a boat sank Tuesday in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with six survivors reported, local media reported Wednesday.
The accident occurred on the Aruwimi River in Banalia territory, about 128 km north of Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo Province, according to the reports.
Witnesses were quoted as saying that the boat was carrying a large number of passengers and goods and was seriously overloaded.
Search and rescue operations were still underway, but high water levels on the river caused by rainfall were hampering the efforts, the reports said.
Rivers and lakes crisscross the DRC, where boats are one of the main means of transport for many residents. Shipwrecks occur frequently in the country due to aging vessels, overloading and other factors. ■
