At least 20 people died and 80 were rescued when a wooden boat carrying students sank on the confluence of the Sankusu and Kasai rivers in Kasai province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Friday. The vessel was transporting more than 200 passengers, witnesses said.

The incident occurred as the boat entered the river junction while returning from state examinations, according to local reports. Night-time travel and overcrowded vessels are common in the region, and previous boat accidents have resulted in hundreds of fatalities.

Francois Kabula, administrator of Ilebo territory in Kasai province, said that 80 survivors and 20 bodies had been recovered. Tshikudi Jean, who witnessed the sinking, told the Associated Press that the boat may have carried more than 200 people. Francois Malepo, president of the Ilebo civil society organization, said that shipowners prioritize profit over safety.

Authorities have not yet released a formal investigation into the cause of the sinking, and the lack of adequate safety infrastructure in remote areas continues to raise concerns about river transport safety.