Congo truck burdened with goods and people capsizes into Lake Tanganyika; 50 thought dead
By APThursday, August 12, 2010
Congo truck falls into lake, 50 thought dead
KINSHASA, Congo — An official in eastern Congo says 50 people are believed to have died when the truck they were traveling in fell into a lake.
Victor Choma Choma said Thursday the cargo truck was carrying passengers on top of the goods it was transporting when it capsized late Wednesday in Lake Tanganyika. He says the passengers were headed to a town near Burundi’s border to sell their goods.
A U.N-run radio station says there were six survivors.
Congo is a vast country of jungles and rivers in Central Africa with little more than 300 miles (480 kilometers) of paved road, much of it in poor repair. Road crashes are common because of reckless driving, overcrowded vehicles in poor condition and a near-total lack of enforcement of safety regulations.
