Mother, 2 children killed after hippopotamus attack in DR Congo

A mother and her two children were killed when a hippopotamus sank a boat they were sailing in in the northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, a human rights non-governmental organization said Friday.

The incident took place Thursday night in Bikoro territory in Equateur province, according to Christophe Yoka, coordinator of the Framework for Development and Well-being organization.

Yoka told reporters in Bikoro that the victims were traveling on Lake Tumba at night when a hippopotamus appeared and violently crashed into the canoe they were sailing in.

He said there were four members of the same family on the boat and that only one had survived.

The woman’s body reportedly bore serious injuries attributed to the animal's attack.

The presence of hippos on the lake represents a real danger for the inhabitants who use wooden boats daily to move around and transport their goods, Yoka said, adding that the incident is part of a series of encounters between communities and wildlife.