Three confirmed dead as passenger boat capsizes at Lake Victoria
- FEATUREDNEWS
- March 12, 2024
- No Comment
Three people have been confirmed dead, while three more people remain missing after a cargo boat from Bussi Islands, Wakiso District capsized.
The boat, said to be owned by Mulagye Steven had 16 people on board. Ten people are said to have survived according to sources at Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe.
The Media and Public Relations Officer for the Uganda Police Marine Unit, Anthony Amanya, confirmed that this tragic incident occurred earlier today, Tuesday, near Zinga Island in Wakiso District.
The boat was carrying 16 individuals and had departed from the Balabala landing site on Zinga Island, bound for the Nakiwogo landing site, at approximately 5 a.m.
“Regrettably, during the journey, the boat capsized. As a result of the prompt response from our Marine Unit and other rescue teams, 10 individuals who were wearing life jackets at the time of the incident were successfully rescued from the water,” said Amanya in a statement.
“However, it is with deep sorrow that we report the loss of three lives in this tragic incident. They include two female adults and one juvenile. Their bodies have been retrieved, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families during this difficult time,” he added.
Three individuals remain unaccounted for, and according to Amanya, efforts to locate them are underway.
The missing persons have been identified as Emanuel the Coxswain, Odeko, and one commonly known as Mama Claire.
“The Uganda Police Marine Unit, in collaboration with other relevant authorities, is fully committed to conducting thorough search and rescue operations to locate the missing individuals and provide support to the affected families,” said Amanya.
The incident comes barely a month after at least three people lost their lives when a boat in which they were traveling capsized on Lake Victoria last month.
The people living on the islands have long asked the government to offer better and safer marine transport means.
An estimated 5,000 fishermen die each year due to storms and accidents on Lake Victoria.
According to the latest World Health Organization data published in 2020, drowning deaths in Uganda reached 1,238—0.60% of total deaths.
