At least 148 people die after boat catches fire in Congo

The number of people found dead after a boat accident in Congo has risen to 148, officials have said.

They say hundreds are still missing after a motorised wooden boat caught fire and capsized on Tuesday in the Congo River.

The number of dead had previously been estimated at 50.

On Friday, senator Jean-Paul Boketsu Bofili of Equateur province said 500 people were on board, adding: "As we speak, more than 150 survivors suffering from third-degree burns are without humanitarian assistance."

The fire started as a woman was cooking on board the boat, said Competent Loyoko, the river commissioner.

Several passengers, including women and children, died after jumping into the water without being able to swim, officials said.

About 100 survivors were taken to an improvised shelter at the local town hall, while those with burn injuries were taken to local hospitals.

The boat, called HB Kongolo, caught fire near the northwestern town of Mbandaka, having left the port of Matankumu for the Bolomba territory.

Deadly boat accidents are common in the central African country, where late-night travels and overcrowded vessels are often blamed and authorities have struggled to enforce maritime regulations.

Hundreds have been killed in boat accidents in recent years as more people abandon the few available roads for wooden vessels packed with passengers and their goods.

The country's rivers are a major means of transport for its more than 100 million people, especially in remote areas where infrastructure is poor.