At least 47 people have drowned in a river while trying to flee an attack by rebels in north-west Congo, a state official said on Friday, April 27.
Joachim Taila, governor of the Sud-Ubangi Province, said rebels from neighbouring Congo-Brazzaville had attacked the Congolese town of Dongo, located near the border.
Crowds of people then tried to cross the Ubangi River in wooden boats, several of which capsized.
So far, 47 bodies have been recovered from the river, Taila said. A rescue operation is still under way, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Congo is dogged by myriad conflicts, with numerous rebel groups active in the region.
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NAIJ.com previously reported that tragedy struck in northwest China when five people died attempting to rescue a suicidal woman.
According to the social media account of the government of Dunhuang city, China, the five people who were colleagues drowned while attempting to rescue a woman who was trying to commit suicide in a river in northwest China.
According to the officials, the 19-year-old woman was drinking with colleagues by the river early when she jumped in.
Her workmates rescued her initially, but she jumped in again.
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Source: Naija.ng