The International Red Cross says at least 73 people died when two barges sank in a lake in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The accident occurred on Wednesday but the ICRC has only just released the news. The barges, which were linked to each other, were transporting timber and were not licensed to carry passengers.
 

Country director Dominique Lutula said 276 people were rescued from the barges. The accident occurred on Mai-Ndombe Lake in western Bandundu province, some 400 kilometres north-west of the capital Kinshasa.
 

According to Mr Lutula, it is possible that more victims still trapped underwater as it is not known how many people were travelling on the barges. The cause of the accident is also not known, although boat accidents occur frequently in the DRC, where travel by waterways is commonplace. Most of the accidents are due to overloading. Safety regulations are usually ignored. Most boats do not carry lifejackets.