At least 143 people have died and dozens remain missing after a deadly fire broke out on a boat on the Congo River in the northwestern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to official sources on Friday.

Member of Parliament Joséphine-Pacifique Lokumu told AFP that “a first group of 131 bodies was recovered on Wednesday, and 12 more were found on Thursday and Friday.” Meanwhile, Joseph Lokondo, a local civil society leader, reported a provisional death toll of 145.

The cause of the fire remains unclear, but boat accidents are frequent in the DRC due to poor safety measures, overloading, and the lack of emergency equipment—particularly in remote river regions where boats are the main mode of transportation.

This incident is among the deadliest maritime disasters in recent years in the DRC and has sparked renewed calls for improved transport safety standards across the country