At least eight Congolese including a two-year-old infant drowned when the ferry taking them to Rwanda capsized on the eastern shores of Lake Kivu, a Rwandan official said on Saturday. Ramathan Barengayabo, governor of Rwanda's Gisenyi province, said a total of 18 people were feared to have drowned when the vessel sank off Kibuye town on Thursday evening but only eight bodies had so far been recovered. Rwandan marines rescued 23 survivors who sustained minor injuries, he said. The boat, ferrying goods and 41 people, mostly traders, from Minova town in the east of Democratic Republic of Congo to Kibuye was hit by strong waves moments before reaching the harbour. "The boat was also overloaded with food items that Congolese traders were going to sell to market inside Rwanda," Barengayabo told Reuters. He said all the dead were Congolese nationals. The search for the remaining bodies was being conducted by Rwandan marines, fishermen and survivors. --SP 1450 Local Time 1150 GMT
