KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congolese authorities have launched investigations into two recent deadly boat accidents, including the capsizing of an overcrowded boat on Lake Kivu on Thursday which killed at least 78 people.
“These investigations will aim to clarify the circumstances of these unfortunate events and establish responsibilities so that the people who are at the root of these accidents are prosecuted before the competent courts,” the ministry of justice said in a statement late Thursday.
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FILE - People displaced by the ongoing fighting gather at refugee camp on the outskirts of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Thursday, July 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)
People gather at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, killing scores. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
People gather at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, killing scores. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
People gather at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
An ambulance carries victims away from the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Onlookers gather at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
An ambulance carries victims away from the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
An ambulance arrives at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Women grieve at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
The authorities said they were investigating Thursday's accident, as well as the capsizing of a boat last month on the river Kwango.
At least 78 people died when a boat capsized on Lake Kivu in eastern Congo on Thursday, according to local authorities. Many remain unaccounted for from the vessel, believed to have had 278 people on board. Jean-Jacques Purusi, the governor of the South Kivu province, said the death toll was provisional and that the number of fatalities could rise further.
The boat set off from the port of Minova, in South Kivu province, earlier in the day and was on its way to Goma, eastern Congo. The boat sank while trying to dock just meters (yards) away from the port of Kituku, according to witnesses who said they saw rescue services recover at least 50 bodies from the water.
The dramatic footage filmed by a witness and obtained by The Associated Press shows the overcrowded boat tilt and capsize within less than a minute as it was approaching the port.
It was the latest deadly boat accident in the central African country, where overcrowding on vessels is often to blame. Maritime regulations also are often not followed.
Congolese officials have repeatedly warned against overloading and vowed to punish those violating safety measures for water transportation. But in remote areas where most passengers come from, many are unable to afford public transport for the few available roads.
Purusi, the governor, said a lack of adequate equipment — there were no life jackets on the vessel — likely contributed to the tragedy, as did the overcrowding and negligence. There had also been a strong storm in the morning in the area of the lake, he added.
The victims’ families and Goma residents gathered at the port of Kituku, accusing authorities of negligence in the face of growing insecurity in the region.
Many food traders have resorted to water transport on Lake Kivu since fighting between the armed forces and the M23 rebels made the road between the cities of Goma and Minova impassable. It’s an alternative considered safer than road traffic.
But Elia Asumani, a shipping agent, said the situation has become dangerous.
“We are afraid,” he told the AP. “This shipwreck was predictable.”
Bienfait Sematumba, 27, said he lost four family members.
“They are all dead. I am alone now,” he said, sobbing. “If the authorities had ended the war, this shipwreck would never have happened.”
Pronczuk reported from Dakar, Senegal.
FILE - People displaced by the ongoing fighting gather at refugee camp on the outskirts of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Thursday, July 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)
People gather at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, killing scores. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
People gather at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, killing scores. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
People gather at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
An ambulance carries victims away from the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Onlookers gather at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
An ambulance carries victims away from the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
An ambulance arrives at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Women grieve at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Premier League leader Liverpool twice came from behind with 10 men to draw with Fulham 2-2, yet dropped points for the second straight match to give hope to its title rivals on Saturday.
Arsenal failed to take advantage.
A 0-0 draw at home to lowly Everton left third-placed Arsenal still six points behind Liverpool and will go down as a big opportunity missed.
Undermined by Andy Robertson's 17th-minute red card, Liverpool did well to earn a point at Anfield — but could have pulled off an unlikely win after sustained late pressure following Diogo Jota's equalizer in the 86th.
“I don’t think I could’ve asked for more from my players," Liverpool manager Arne Slot said.
Fulham led for the first time after Andreas Pereira's 11th-minute volley deflected into the net off Robertson, who was sent off six minutes later for bringing down Harry Wilson as the last man and denying a goal-scoring opportunity.
Cody Gakpo leveled just after halftime by heading in a cross from Mohamed Salah, who registered his 100th assist for Liverpool in all competitions.
Substitute Rodrigo Muniz's flick put Fulham back ahead in the 76th, only for Jota to run onto Darwin Nunez's pass, turn his marker and drive home a finish from the edge of the area.
Liverpool drew at Newcastle 3-3 in its last league game.
Arsenal has also drawn two games in a row, after a 1-1 at Fulham last weekend, and hasn't scored from open play in its last three league matches.
Second-placed Chelsea hosts Brentford on Sunday and can move two points behind Liverpool with a win.
Wolverhampton manager Gary O’Neil will do well to survive this latest damaging defeat.
Ipswich beat Wolves 2-1 thanks to Jack Taylor’s winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time in a match between teams in the relegation zone, though only one of the coaches came into it under real pressure.
O’Neil has led Wolves to only two victories in the league this season, and three since March. The slide under O’Neil began at the end of last season when Wolves won just one of their last 10 league games after being knocked out of the FA Cup in the quarterfinals by second-tier Coventry.
On Monday, after losing at West Ham 2-1, O’Neil expressed his disappointment at losing the connection with Wolves’ fans and also aimed some criticism at the club’s owners for sanctioning the sale of many of its top players over the last two years.
There were boos at halftime and fulltime at Molineux, with Wolves staying in next-to-last place and dropping three points behind third-to-last Ipswich.
There was also some post-match chaos when Wolves players and staff argued between themselves and Ipswich players on the field. Amid it all, Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri was shown a second yellow card.
Ruud van Nistelrooy fell to his first loss with Leicester — and it was a big one.
Leicester was thrashed 4-0 at Newcastle, for which Jacob Murphy scored twice and Alexander Isak nodded in his seventh goal of the campaign. Bruno Guimaraes netted the other goal.
Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, was brought in to replace the fired Steve Cooper and earned a win and a draw — both at home — in his first two games in charge.
Emi Martinez's wonder save for Aston Villa proved to be in vain.
In the 60th minute, the Argentina international was standing slightly off his line as a header by Nottingham Forest’s Nicolas Dominguez went past him. Martinez stuck out his left hand behind him and somehow managed to drop the ball down onto the ground and scoop it away from off the line in the same motion.
Villa went ahead three minutes later through Jhon Duran, only for goals by Nikola Milenković in the 87th and Anthony Elanga in the third minute of stoppage time to clinch a 2-1 win for Forest.
Forest moved up to fourth place above Manchester City, which hosts Manchester United in the derby on Sunday.
Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez celebrates after teammate Jhon Duran scores a goal against Nottingham Forest during a Premier League soccer match at the City Ground, Saturday Dec 14, 2024, in Nottingham, England. (Joe Giddens/PA via AP)
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, right, makes a save against Nottingham Forest's Nicolas Dominguez (16) during a Premier League soccer match at the City Ground, Saturday Dec 14, 2024, in Nottingham, England. (Joe Giddens/PA via AP)
Leicester City's manager Ruud van Nistelrooy gestures, during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Leicester City, at St. James' Park, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, left, celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game, during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Leicester City, at St. James' Park, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
Ipswich Town's Conor Chaplin, second left, celebrates his side's first goal after Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matt Doherty scores an own goal, during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town, at Molineux Stadium, in Wolverhampton, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (Nigel French/PA via AP)
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Mario Lemina reacts to a misplaced pass, during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town, at Molineux Stadium, in Wolverhampton, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
Arsenal's Thomas Partey, centre, challenges for the ball with Everton's Vitaliy Mykolenko during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Everton's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in action during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Gabriel reacts after the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham, at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Andrew Robertson, right, duels for the ball with Fulham's Harry Wilson during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham, at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Diogo Jota, left, celebrates with Liverpool's Darwin Nunez after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham, at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
