At least 30 people have died and dozens remain missing after two boats collided on the Congo River in northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo.

EQUATEUR, DR CONGO — At least 30 people have been killed after two motorised wooden boats collided near Ngombe-Lukolela in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Equateur province, with search-and-rescue operations continuing for survivors and additional victims.

The boats collided on Sunday evening, causing one of the vessels to sink and trapping passengers underwater, according to provincial authorities.

Crispin Mputu, the provincial interior minister, said one boat was travelling from Ubangi towards the capital, Kinshasa, while the other was heading from Kinshasa towards Lukolela.

Thirty bodies had been recovered and buried by Monday, Mputu said.

Cause of DR Congo boat collision under investigation

Authorities have not established the cause of the collision.

An eyewitness from the security forces said the vessel travelling from Ubangi was heavily loaded with goods when it collided with the other boat.

Authorities have also identified nighttime navigation as a recurring safety concern in river accidents across the country.

Search-and-rescue teams continued operations following the crash as authorities worked to determine whether more passengers remained missing.

Deadly boat accidents remain frequent in DR Congo

River transport is essential across much of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where limited road infrastructure leaves many communities dependent on boats for travel and trade.

Overcrowding, poor safety standards, inadequate infrastructure and nighttime travel have repeatedly been linked to deadly accidents on the country’s waterways.

In July, at least 20 people were killed when a wooden boat carrying students sank in Kasai province.