The boats departed Bikoro port on the eastern shores of the lake on Wednesday afternoon despite "clear overloading and unstable weather conditions," according to a statement from a provincial civil society group, the Provincial Coordination of the Panel of Civil Society Experts of Equateur.
"Witnesses reported that the overcrowding was so severe that passengers were being turned away from the canoes," said Akula Dieu, a member of the civil society group.
Reuters could not confirm the weather conditions or details about possible overloading.
A state official, Bikoro Lake Commissioner Gabriel Ifulu Bongolomba, told Reuters that a family had requisitioned two boats to transport people for a funeral from an unauthorised embarkation point.
Heavy waves caused by the rains struck the vessels, causing them to capsize, he said. Rescue efforts were ongoing, he added, but said responders faced challenges due to a lack of essential equipment, including life jackets and boats.
"We're forced to requisition private boats for this type of operation, but sometimes we don't even have enough fuel to carry out our work properly," Bongolomba said.
Deadly boat accidents are common in Congolese waters, where vessels are frequently overloaded, posing significant safety risks.
