STORY: DR Congo holds funeral for victims of recent ferry accident
SHOOTING TIME: Oct. 10, 2024
DATELINE: Oct. 11, 2024
LENGTH: 00:04:10
LOCATION: GOMA, DR Congo
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST: 
1. various of the funeral 
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Swahili): SAMINI MAGURU, Relative of a victim
3. various of the funeral
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): JEAN ROMUALD LIPOPO, Vice-Governor of North Kivu Province
5. various of the bereaved families crying

STORYLINE:

An official funeral was held on Thursday in Goma, the capital of the North Kivu Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in memory of the victims of the recent deadly ferry accident on Lake Kivu.

The burial of 11 identified bodies of Goma residents which passed away after the ferry "MV MERDI" capsized on Lake Kivu a week ago took place at the Makao cemetery. At least 87 people were killed last Thursday after the ferry capsized near the port of Kituku, according to a provincial government report that did not specify the number of people on board.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Swahili): SAMINI MAGURU, Relative of a victim
"The grief has always been bitter. But when we find ourselves in a similar situation where so many other families have lost their loved ones, we try to be strong because there are no other choices. To this moment, many other bodies remain stuck under the water."

The ferry broke into three pieces and is currently at a depth of about 198 meters in Lake Kivu, said Jean Romuald Lipopo, vice-governor of the province, who was present at the funeral, noting that the methane gas in Lake Kivu has hampered search efforts.

SOUNDBITE 2 (French): JEAN ROMUALD LIPOPO, Vice-Governor of North Kivu Province
"We have come to the provisional conclusion that the boat sank 500 meters off the coast of Kitukuand, broke into three pieces and sank to a depth of 198 meters. In addition, the water of the lake contains methane gas which complicates the work of divers."

The ferry, coming from Minova in the province of South Kivu, sank hundreds of meters away from the port after failing to withstand the speed of a violent wave, according to sources at the port of Kituku. Local sources reported a "significant overload" of the ferry.

The land route between Goma and Minova has been cut off for months due to hostilities between armed groups and the DRC military. Cases of shipwrecks are frequently recorded on Lake Kivu due to strong winds and overloading.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Goma, DR Congo.
(XHTV)