At Least 86 Killed After Boat Sinks In Democratic Republic of Congo; Details Inside

Kinshasa: In a shocking accident on Wednesday, at least 86 people, including 21 children, lost their lives when a boat sank late Monday on the Kwa River, a tributary of the Congo River, in Mai-Ndombe province, western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The tragic incident was reported by local sources to Xinhua on Wednesday.

The tragic occurrence took place on a Wednesday at the Kwa River, a mere 70 kilometers (or 44 miles) away from the town of Mushie in the Maï-Ndombe province, near the Congo-Brazzaville border. Following the incident, President Félix Tshisekedi poured out his heartfelt grief in a social media post. He committed to providing help for the heartbroken victims, along with launching a thorough investigation to uncover the root cause of this disastrous event.

“The President of the Republic is calling for an investigation into the true causes of this unfortunate incident, to prevent such a disaster from happening again in the future,” the presidency said on X, formerly Twitter.

Update On Indian Peacekeeper From DRC

In an unreated incident from the country, an Indian peacekeeper deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), who helped establish networks for local people to voice their security and humanitarian concerns, is the winner of the 2023 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award, the UN announced on Tuesday.

Major Radhika Sen served in the eastern DRC with the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, from March 2023 to April 2024 as the Commander of the Engagement Platoon for the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion.

She will receive the award from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a ceremony on Thursday. Guterres congratulated Major Sen for her service, describing her service as “a true credit to the United Nations as a whole.”

“In an escalating conflict environment in North Kivu, her troops actively engaged with conflict-affected communities, including women and girls,” he explained, noting that she earned their trust “with humility, compassion, and dedication.” Upon receiving news of the award, Major Sen expressed gratitude for being selected and reflected on her peacekeeping role.

(With inputs from agencies)