UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
3 Mar
2009
MONUC rescues 133 passengers aboard barge near Mbandaka
On 7 February Monuc rescued a barge that just began sinking in Maïta, a district situated 56 kilometers from Mbandaka, with approximately 200 passengers on board.
MONUC team dispatched to the scene of the disaster the same day, carried to Mbandaka about 133 passengers comprised of 45 women, 64 men and 24 children. 50 passengers decided to stay in order to watch over their cargo. The boat is now out of danger and runs no further risk of sinking.
According to witness accounts gathered from the passengers, the barge left Kinshasa for Kisangani last 15 January. Out of the 133 passengers rescued, only 8 disembarked in Mbandaka, the 125 others continued their journey to Kisangani. Seven people were admitted to Mbandaka hospital. They are suffering from lumbago and malaria.
The 7 February incident is allegedly the third accident involving the same barge on a journey to Kisangani. The first accident reportedly took place on 19 January, 40 kilometers from Kinshasa, when the barge hit a rock. The second accident was a fire outbreak caused by a camping stove in the ship, but immediately controlled.
On 2 February, MONUC rescued approximately 280 passengers from a fire breakout aboard a whaleboat, in Lukolela, a village situated 150 Km South West of Mbandaka. The whaleboat was carrying about 500 people and was coming from Makoti Mpoko market, a village in Congo Brazzaville.
According to witness accounts gathered from the passengers, the barge left Kinshasa for Kisangani last 15 January. Out of the 133 passengers rescued, only 8 disembarked in Mbandaka, the 125 others continued their journey to Kisangani. Seven people were admitted to Mbandaka hospital. They are suffering from lumbago and malaria.
The 7 February incident is allegedly the third accident involving the same barge on a journey to Kisangani. The first accident reportedly took place on 19 January, 40 kilometers from Kinshasa, when the barge hit a rock. The second accident was a fire outbreak caused by a camping stove in the ship, but immediately controlled.
On 2 February, MONUC rescued approximately 280 passengers from a fire breakout aboard a whaleboat, in Lukolela, a village situated 150 Km South West of Mbandaka. The whaleboat was carrying about 500 people and was coming from Makoti Mpoko market, a village in Congo Brazzaville.
