Kinshasa: The bodies of 251 Congolese refugees returning to their country from a refugee camp in Uganda, who died Saturday in a boat accident on Lake Albert, have been recovered, Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende said. There were 292 passengers on board the ill-fated vessel.

“The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) government is shocked at such a huge loss of life,” the government spokesman said when he addressed the media Wednesday.

Mende said the refugees were returning to their country using their own means because of the poor treatment they received where they had gone, Xinhua reported.

He said the highest levels of government were involved in first resolving the challenge of organising funerals for those who died and then assisting the survivors.

North Kivu Governor Julien Paluku said the search will continue to find other bodies.

The refugees had taken refuge in Uganda following an attack by assailants on Kamango locality in July 2013.