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Reports from April 2026 also describe another deadly canoe accident on Lake Kivu that killed at least 78 people.
Life Jackets Africa is working to reduce drowning deaths across the Great Lakes region of Central Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project promotes water safety, distributes life jackets, and supports basic safety training to help protect families and communities that rely on rivers and lakes for daily transportation.
In April 2025, a wooden passenger boat caught fire and capsized on the Congo River in northwestern DRC, killing at least 148 people, with more than 100 reported missing. Officials said nearly 500 passengers were onboard.
In October 2024, at least 78 people drowned on Lake Kivu in eastern DRC after an overloaded boat carrying 278 passengers capsized near Goma.
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