At least 41 people have died after a boat travelling from Tanzania to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) capsized on Lake Tanganyika, local authorities said.

The vessel was carrying about 100 people and cargo when it overturned on Thursday near the village of Mapera in Tanganyika province, provincial Transport Minister Norris Mulongoyi said, according to Sky News.

Forty-nine people have been rescued, while a search operation is under way for those still missing, Mulongoyi said.

The boat was travelling from Kigoma in Tanzania to Kalemie, the capital of DRC’s Tanganyika province. The cause of the incident was not immediately known.

Lake Tanganyika is the world’s largest freshwater lake by volume and the second deepest after Lake Baikal.

Boat accidents are common in the DRC, where overcrowding, inadequate safety equipment and travel at night are frequently cited as contributing factors.

In July, at least 20 people died when a wooden boat carrying students returning from state examinations sank in central DRC, according to authorities.

Poor safety standards and inadequate infrastructure in remote parts of the country have contributed to hundreds of deaths in boat accidents in recent years.