At least 78 dead after boat sinks in Congo's Lake Kivu, says governor

Around 23 dead bodies have been recovered and 40 people rescued following a boat accident on Lake Kivu.

At least 78 people are dead after a boat carrying 278 passengers capsized in eastern Congo's Lake Kivu on Thursday, the governor of South Kivu province told Reuters.

According to Jean-Jacques Purusi, governor of the South Kivu province, the death toll was provisional and the number of fatalities could rise, news agency AP reported.