20 feared dead after boat capsizes in Lake Victoria
Thursday August 03 2023
A private boat with passengers leaving Masese landing site in Jinja, Uganda destined for Buvuma Islands. PHOTO | FILE
At least 20 people are feared dead after a passenger boat they were travelling in capsized in Lake Victoria on Ugandan waters in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
The ill-fated giant boat, locally known as Kinaala, was transporting passengers and cargo from Lwanabatya landing site in Kyamuswa County, Kalangala District to Kasenyi landing site near Entebbe in Wakiso District, according to fishermen.
The boat was reportedly hit by strong winds near Nsazi Island on Lake Victoria in Mukono District. While it is believed that thirty people were on board, ten survivors have been rescued by fishermen, according to fisherman Noah Kizza.
Read: Survivor recounts terror of Uganda party boat disaster
Mr Joshua Wafumbwa, a councillor representing Kyamuswa Sub County in Kalangala District, said that rescue efforts are ongoing to locate other survivors.
"We have already alerted the marine police on the lake, and all efforts are being made to save those who are still alive," he said.
This marks the third fatal boat accident on Lake Victoria in barely a month.
On July 5, five people lost their lives in two separate boat accidents on Lake Victoria. One of the boats, carrying 14 passengers, was sailing from Kisaba landing site in Kyamuswa County, Kalangala District, to Katosi landing site in Mukono District.
Another boat, with a couple, Ms Betty Nabwire, 45 and Richard Ongodia,50, on board, was coming from Kisi Island where the duo owned a garden, and heading to Bussi fishing village in Mukono District. Mr Ongodia narrowly survived death after being rescued by fishermen in another boat. The couple was returning from their garden on Kisi Island, where they had gone to collect food.