Six Dead, 64 Missing After Vessel Sinks in Congo's Lake Kivu

Six people were killed and 64 others were missing after a boat capsized in Democratic Republic of Congo's Lake Kivu early on Monday, local authorities said.

Mustapha Mamboleo, a local official at Idjwi island in the lake, said 150 passengers were aboard the motorized boat traveling from Mugote village on Idjwi island to the eastern city of Goma and 80 of them survived.

Mathieu Alimasi Malumbi, the transport minister for South Kivu province, confirmed the incident.

"I can confirm that there was a capsizing of a motorboat with more than 100 passengers on board, many of whom were not on the manifest," the minister told Reuters via telephone.

An investigation was launched in addition to the search for survivors, he said.

Deadly boat accidents are common in waters of Congo, where vessels are frequently loaded well beyond their capacity.

(Reuters - Reporting by Crispin Kyala; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by James Macharia Chege and Sandra Maler)