At least 60 People Feared Dead as Barge Capsizes in Western Congo

At least 60 people are believed to have drowned when a boat crammed with passengers and commercial goods capsized on a river in western Democratic Republic of Congo.

Government officials say the vessel was traveling on the Kasai River when it began taking on water late Sunday night. They say 40 out of nearly 200 people on board managed to swim to shore.

The French news agency quotes a local official as saying as many as 150 people may have died.

Rescue teams are searching for missing passengers.

The accident occurred near the Congolese town of Tshikapa, southeast of the capital, Kinshasa.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.