Uganda: Lake Victoria Accident - Police Boat On Rescue Mission Capsizes

7 August 2023
Nile Post (Kampala)
By Kenneth Kazibwe

A police marine boat that was on a rescue mission after last week's Lake Victoria accident has capsized in water.

According to Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, the police boat was on Sunday morning returning to the shores following a rescue mission when it capsized in Lake Victoria.

"While returning to the shore after successfully retrieving a body from the water, the boat capsized due to strong winds on the lake,"Owoyesigyire said.

He however said all the five marine officers aboard the capsized boat were rescued alive.

According to police, the accident underscores the unpredictable nature of the lake and the challenging conditions that their officers face while executing their life-saving duties.

"As the investigation into the accident is ongoing, further details will be provided as soon as they become available. Our priority remains to ensure the safety of our personnel and the public while conducting rescue operations and patrolling the waters of Lake Victoria , efforts to also retrieve more missing bodies are still on , on the accident that happened earlier this week ."

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the rescuers who are participating in the successful retrieval of the missing person's bodies and the prompt rescue of our officers. Their bravery and dedication are commendable. The Marine Police department remains committed to upholding safety protocols and measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. We will continue to collaborate with relevant authorities and stakeholders to enhance safety and rescue operations on Lake Victoria."

The development comes at a time when the death toll in last week's boat accident on Lake Victoria has reached 30.

The accident saw a boat carrying charcoal, fresh foods and silver fish among others was traveling from Lwanabatya landing site in Kalangala district heading to Kasenyi landing site in Entebbe fail to negotiate heavy winds on the lake in the night and capsized .

Rescue efforts are still ongoing.

Read the original article on Nile Post.

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