Reports indicate that a wooden ferry, carrying 300+ passengers on the Mpoko River in Bangui, Central African Republic, succumbed to sinking on Friday, April 19, purportedly en route to a funeral. Witnesses recount the vessel's gradual collapse, prompting immediate response from local boat operators and fishermen.
Adrien Mossamo, one of the fishermen involved in the rescue efforts, reported the recovery of ~20 bodies prior to military intervention.
According to civil protection head Thomas Djimasse, rescuers had retrieved "58 lifeless bodies" from the water, but added they didn't know the total number of people who were underwater.
Authorities from Bangui University Hospital Center have noted a rising death toll, pending further search and recovery operations conducted by the military.
As of now, the precise count of casualties remains undisclosed, with no official statement from the government.
In the aftermath, expressions of sympathy and calls for investigation have emerged across social media platforms from civil society organizations and local political entities.