At least 24 travellers died and 31 injured as the train, which was carrying stowaways, derailed in the Kasai province. Police said some of the carriages had sunk into the Luembe River and that they had to suspend their search to find any more survivors. The train collision was the third similar incident in a month.
According to Yahoo News, a railway police official in Bena Leka – 90 miles north of main town Kananga, believed most of the deceased were children.
The official said: “It is a provisional toll because the wagons are still overturned.”
A source at the crash site told the media group that most passengers on the freight train were stowaways,
They added: “We have suspended the search because night has just fallen in the area.
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“Several wagons have fallen into the water at the bridge over the Luembe River and five more wagons are overturned.”
Those seriously injured in the accident have been taken to a hospital in nearby Kakenge.
The Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo, which is the country’s national rail service, confirmed that train had derailed.
Jean Clude Tshimanga, from Kakaenge hospital, said he and his staff were “overwhelmed by the number of injured” people.
He added: “We are working urgently.
“We have already admitted 31 injured.”
In February, five people died after a train carrying passengers died at a station in Kalenda.
Last year, 18 people died in a similar incident this time in the city of Kindu, in eastern Congo.