At least 58 people died in a boat accident in the Central African Republic.
On Friday, the overcrowded boat on the Mpoko River close to the capital Bangui became unbalanced shortly after setting off and broke apart.
Civil Defence Director General Thomas Djimasse told Central African radio station Radio Guira that many women and children were among the dead.
The approximately 300 passengers were on their way to a funeral. The exact number of victims was initially unknown. A number of people were still missing.
According to civil defence reports, rescue workers only arrived at the scene of the accident 40 minutes after the boat capsized.
Transport by river is widely used in the central African country as many roads are in poor condition. But many of the boats are made of wood and are poorly maintained.
