Death toll rises in Lake Victoria boat accident

KAMPALA — Many people are still missing as the death toll from a boat accident on Lake Victoria in Uganda on Saturday has risen to 30, a police spokesperson said on Sunday.

Patrick Onyango, Uganda’s deputy police spokesperson, said that joint police and military marine teams, together with local divers, have rescued 27 people.

Two boats capsized and completely submerged in the deep waters on Lake Victoria in the central Ugandan district of Mukono.

“Our teams are still trying to either retrieve dead bodies or rescue some people alive. But the hopes for finding people still alive is dwindling,” said Onyango.

“Many more people are missing. We fear for the worst. We believe many of them have died. The boat reportedly had about 84 people on board who had gone for weekend partying.”

However, one media report said the boat was carrying more than 120 revelers, beyond its capacity of 100, from the capital Kampala to Mutima Island.

The report added that a second local boat which attempted a rescue mission also capsized and submerged due to overloading.

The spokesperson said the deceased have been taken to Mulago National Referral Hospital and City Mortuary for postmortem.

Some of the dead were handed over to wailing relatives at the two mortuaries for burial, according to the police.

Onyango said that the police have launched investigations into the cause of the incident, which will focus on suspicions of overloading, strong winds or a possible mechanical problem.

The boat overturned and sank at about 7 pm on Saturday night, said senior police officer Zurah Ganyana. She said that 27 people were rescued overnight, lower than earlier reports. Officials are warning that the death toll will rise.

Ganyana said the boat was in poor condition and had been grounded for some time. She added that it did not have a valid license to operate.

The boat was taking passengers on a pleasure cruise on Lake Victoria, a popular weekend activity for young people in Kampala, when it capsized close to shore.

Witnesses who were there on Saturday night said they heard people calling for help as they tried to stay afloat and others tried to swim ashore. Many were women.

“They were shouting ‘Help us! Help us!’ and the boat was sinking very quickly,” said Sam Tukei, one of several local men who used fishermen’s canoes to rescue people. “By the time the police came we had saved many people.”