Over 100 killed when ferry sinks on Lake Tanganyika in Democratic Republic of Congo

LAKE TANGANYIKA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- An overcrowded ferry capsized in the Democratic Republic of Congo Friday, killing scores of passengers in the most recent incident of its kind.

Though initial reports indicated 26 deaths, at least 129 bodies have been pulled from Lake Tanganyika since the sinking occurred two days ago. Katanga province officials said strong winds and overloading caused the MV Mutambala to capsize.

Laurent Sumba Kahozi, a local transport minister, told the BBC that the search for survivors continues. On Sunday rescue workers encountered passengers using debris from the ferry to float in the narrow body of water, which straddles the border of Tanzania and is considered the longest freshwater lake in the world.

BBC correspondents note that such incidents are not uncommon to the region, where ferries are often overloaded with passengers, most of whom lack life jackets.

In October at least 26 people, mostly children, drowned when their ferry capsized in Zambia, and in March more than 250 Congolese refugees were killed when the vessel in which they rode capsized on Lake Albert on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.