Boat accident in DRC leaves dozens dead: Tshisekedi

A boat carrying more than 270 passengers has capsised on a river near the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa, leaving more than 80 dead, President Felix Tshisekedi has said.

It was the latest deadly boat accident in the central African country where overloading is often blamed, including in February when dozens lost their lives after an overloaded boat sank.

The statement quoting Tshisekedi on Wednesday says the locally made boat capsized late Monday in Mai-Ndombe province along the Kwa River.

The boat was carrying 271 passengers to Kinshasa when it broke down due to an engine failure, according to the UN-backed Radio Okapi, citing Ren Maker, the water commissioner in the Mushi district where the accident happened.

Eighty-six of the passengers died while 185 managed to swim ashore, some 70 kilometres near the closest city of Mushie, Maker said.

He said the boat hit the edge of the river bank and broke up.

Congolese officials have often warned against overloading and vowed to punish those violating safety measures for water transportation.

But in remote areas where most passengers come from, many are unable to afford public transport for the few available roads.