Boat fire on Congo River fatal

Kinshasa - Seven people died and 14 more are missing after a boat carrying cargo and passengers caught fire on the Congo River in northern Democratic Republic of Congo, a local official said on Tuesday.

The engine caught fire on Monday evening as the boat passed the town of Lokutu en route from Basoko to the provincial capital of Kisangani, said assistant commissioner of Tshopo district Roger Sende Nange.

Another 41 passengers escaped, he said.

United Nations-sponsored Radio Okapi cited witnesses who said about 100 people died. Boat manifests in Congo often understate the number of passengers. Dozens died near Kisangani in December when a similar boat hit a rock and sank.

The Congo River runs for more than 4 000km and is central to commerce and transport in a country with few paved roads.