While true, at least modern C++ provides the tools to write secure code, if one wishes to do so.

Whereas with bare C, there is no hope.

You could add Valgrind and static analysis to your C. (You'd have to do something like this to C++, too.)

Valgrind is bandage sadly only available to GNU/Linux developers with lots of RAM to spare. Not fully available, if at all, when other systems need to be targeted.

Fully agree with static analysis.

My point is that at least with C++ you get the help of stronger type checking, RAII and automatic memory management via the available collections.

But of course, the C compatibility is both an advantage in terms of helped adoption, but also a weight in terms of being able to write secure code.

Agreed, the C compatibility and piling off features on top is a serious legacy.