Ingender, Dec 23 (V7N) — At least 38 people have lost their lives, and hundreds are still missing after a passenger ferry sank in the Busira River in northeastern Congo late Saturday night. The passengers were reportedly returning home to celebrate Christmas.

The disaster comes just days after another tragedy in the region, where 25 people died in a boat capsizing last week. Rescue workers are currently searching for survivors and the missing in the river near the town of Ingender, the last settlement close to the accident site.

Joseph Kongolingoli, the mayor of Ingender, stated that most of the passengers on the ferry were local businessmen heading home for the holidays. Overloading is suspected to have caused the ferry to capsize, a recurring issue in the region.

Congolese authorities have repeatedly warned against overloading ferries and boats, with strict penalties in place for violations. However, enforcement remains a challenge in remote areas, where safety regulations are often ignored.

Efforts to recover the missing and support the affected families are ongoing, but the tragedy has cast a somber shadow over the holiday season in the region.

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