The wreckage of a boat which sank while navigating a river around the north-western parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo is reported to have left the corpses of some 50 people aboard the vessel.

In a statement made public by the deputy governor of the Province of Tshuapa, Richard Mboyo Iluka, who also confirmed the news ”The sinking took place in the night from Wednesday to Thursday, we found 49 bodies on Thrusday and another body was found this morning” he told reporters.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is a vast country, covered by forest with most of its hinterland still inaccessible by roads. With a network of rivers running through out the world’s second largest forest reserve, Congo Basin, boat accidents are often common.

Traveling over long distances by land could be extremely tiring, most people are heavily reliant on the rivers to criss-cross the central African nation.

Barely two weeks ago, the World Health Organization reported an outbreak of Ebola which has already claimed the lives of 25 people. Vaccines have been made available to help combat the virus and the country’s health ministry deligently try to contain the situation.

Neba Benson,

BaretaNews Foreign Correspondent/Analyst