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Three Uganda varsity students drown during beach party

Sunday March 26 2017
StudentsPixEA

A photo montage of Uganda's three Busitema University students who are said to have drowned at the Lake Victoria beach party. PHOTO | DAILY MONITOR

A handover party for Uganda's Busitema University students Saturday evening ended in tears after three students drowned in Lake Victoria at Majanji in Busia District.

The deceased, who were among a group of students who had gone to Sangalo sand beach for the party organised by the Busitema University Teso Students Association, were in the water swimming when they were reportedly swept away by a strong wave.

By Saturday night, one body had been recovered while the search for the other two was still going by the marine police.

The deceased

One of the students, Caesar Oyuku told the Daily Monitor that the deceased dived into the water to swim as they waited for the start of the annual hand over party when the strong wave swept them.

He said all the victims were from the faculty of engineering. They were Jim Reeves Mesigwa, a Fourth Year student of water resources engineering, Nathan Emolu and Demosha Asiimwe, both First Year students.

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Majanji landing site police boss Godfrey Chope confirmed the death of the three students.

Life saver jackets

He said they had recovered one body but the bad weather on the lake was affecting the search for the others.

Mr Chope said he had on several occasions warned the beach management to provide life saver jackets and to mark the swimming points with balloons.

"As police we are holding the management of the beach accountable for the death of these students. They have no life saver jackets for their patrons and have no marks to indicate the deadly spots," he said.

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