Video of boat capsizing in DR Congo's Lake Kivu shared as incident from Goa

What's the claim?

A video of a boat sinking has gone viral on social media, with claims that it depicts a capsizing incident in the coastal Indian state of Goa. The 53-second clip, seemingly filmed from another vessel, shows a blue and white ferry filled with passengers approaching in the distance. Moments later, the boat begins to shake and ultimately sinks, with screams audible from those aboard the observing vessel.

On X (formerly Twitter), the video was shared with the caption: "Goa accident today: 23 bodies recovered, 40 people rescued, and 64 missing. The greed of the boat owner in overloading and the overconfidence of travelers led to this tragedy. Very sad." Similar claims have circulated on Facebook. Archived versions of such posts can be found here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Screenshot of the claim shared online. (Source: Facebook/X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, this video is not from Goa. The incident occurred on October 3, 2024, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country in Central Africa.

What did we find?

By conducting a reverse image search on keyframes from the viral video, we discovered several news reports regarding an incident in the Democratic Republic of Congo. One notable report, uploaded by CGTN Africa (archived here) on October 4, 2024, was titled "At Least 78 Feared Dead After Boat Sinks in DR Congo’s Lake Kivu." This report included similar footage of the boat capsizing, between the 23-second and 42-second mark of the clip.

The report indicated that a boat carrying over 250 passengers capsized on October 3, resulting in a confirmed death toll of at least 78, with many others still unaccounted for. Witnesses described the vessel as overcrowded and reported that strong waves forced some passengers to jump overboard in desperation. 

Survivors were taken to De Keshero Hospital, which was overwhelmed by the number of casualties. The report highlighted the ongoing issue of overcrowded vessels in Central Africa and mentioned that an investigation into the incident is currently underway.

Additionally, an Al Jazeera video report (archived here) from October 3, along with a report from the Associated Press, confirmed that the incident occurred in Lake Kivu in eastern Congo. The Guardian noted that the accident happened just as the vessel, MV Merdy, was about to dock at the port of Kituku, near Goma, after crossing the lake from Minova. According to survivors interviewed by The Guardian, the boat was carrying 278 people, despite being designed to hold only 80.

The Goa Police also clarified that the viral video is not from Goa but originates from the Democratic Republic of Congo. On October 5, they shared a screenshot (archived here) of another post on X that falsely claimed the video depicted an "accident of an overloaded steamer boat today in Goa." The police stated, “Official Clarification: A video circulating on social media claims a boat capsized near Goa’s shores. This is false. The incident occurred in Goma, Congo, Africa. Please refrain from sharing unverified news.”

Screenshot of the X post by Goa Police clarifying that the viral video is not from Goa but originates from Congo, Africa. (Source: X)

OHeraldo Goa (archived here), a news outlet in Goa, also confirmed with the Coast Guard and the Goa Police that the video is fake. As of October 2024, there were no reports of boat accidents in Goa, apart from the viral video incident that was incorrectly attributed to the region.

The verdict

The viral video has been misrepresented as depicting a boat accident in Goa; however, the incident occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The footage shows an overcrowded boat capsizing on Lake Kivu, resulting in at least 78 fatalities.