Kalemie, DR Congo (Running Africa) — At least 41 people have died and 49 others have been rescued after a boat carrying about 100 passengers and cargo capsized on Lake Tanganyika in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The vessel was travelling from Kigoma in Tanzania to Kalemie in DR Congo’s Tanganyika province when it sank near the Congolese village of Mapera on Thursday, provincial Transport Minister Norris Mulongoyi told the Associated Press.

Search and rescue operations are continuing for passengers who remain unaccounted for.

Survivor Describes Lake Tanganyika Boat Sinking

Survivor Annie Moyoni told UN-backed Congolese broadcaster Radio Okapi that passengers were awakened at around 1 a.m. after the vessel began tilting to one side.

Authorities have not established the cause of the sinking.

Deadly Boat Accidents Remain a Concern in DR Congo

The Lake Tanganyika disaster is the latest deadly boating accident in DR Congo, where rivers and lakes provide essential transport links, particularly in regions with limited road infrastructure.

Overcrowding and limited access to life jackets have repeatedly been identified as safety concerns in water transport across the country. Authorities have not said whether either factor contributed to Thursday’s sinking.

Second Major Incident on Kigoma-Kalemie Route

The accident is the second major incident involving a Congolese vessel on the Kigoma-Kalemie route in less than a month.

On August 28, six crew members were killed when the MV Pacifique caught fire and exploded while loading fuel at Kigoma port in Tanzania.

Search operations following the latest disaster remain underway, and the death toll could change as authorities account for those who were aboard the vessel.