UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
3 Mar
2009
MONUC rescues whaleboat disaster victims near Mbandaka
MONUC dispatched two speedboats and one helicopter to Lukolela on Friday, 30 January 2004, 185 km from Mbandaka where a whaleboat carrying approximately 500 people caught fire and sank on 26 January. A preliminary toll reports that 301 passengers made it safely to shore, while there is reported one dead and one severely injured. The fate of the other passengers is not known.
Within the framework of the emergency relief operation in favor of survivors of the accident, the helicopter flew in 1,000 bottles of water donated by MONUC, 190 tons of medicine and blankets donated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (FNUAP). A MONUC barge also left Mbandaka Friday morning for Lukolela to transport survivors. Another MONUC barge is to leave the provincial capital of Equateur Saturday, with an additional 1,000 bottles of water on board. The Mission is also planning to fly in food to meet passengers' needs during their two-day journey to Mbandaka.
The whaleboat was coming from Makoti Mpoko market, a village in the neighboring Congo, when a fire broke out from one of the engines. All the items on board were burned. The 301 people who reached the shore are waiting to be evacuated to Mbandaka by MONUC. The exact number of passengers on board the whaleboat is not known.
The office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affaires (OCHA), in collaboration with MONUC Humanitarian Affairs Section, is coordinating relief needed by the victims.
The whaleboat was coming from Makoti Mpoko market, a village in the neighboring Congo, when a fire broke out from one of the engines. All the items on board were burned. The 301 people who reached the shore are waiting to be evacuated to Mbandaka by MONUC. The exact number of passengers on board the whaleboat is not known.
The office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affaires (OCHA), in collaboration with MONUC Humanitarian Affairs Section, is coordinating relief needed by the victims.
