Kisumu — Three fishermen lost their lives and another was injured after a ship collided with their fishing boat on Lake Victoria near Remba Island in Suba North constituency, Homa Bay County.
The late-night tragedy has sparked fresh concern among beach management officials over maritime safety on the busy lake corridor.
The deceased fishermen, Fredrick Odhiambo, Pascal Oluoch and Wickliffe Mino, were all from Sindo main beach in Suba South constituency.
According to local authorities, the group of four had set out on a routine fishing expedition on the night of the incident.
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After casting their nets, the crew reportedly anchored their boat and went to sleep as they waited for the night's catch to mature.
It was during these hours of rest that a ship travelling from Uganda toward Kisumu is said to have rammed into their boat.
Edward Oremo, the Homa Bay County Beach Management Unit (BMU) chairman, said the impact was so severe that the small vessel shattered into three pieces.
"The boat split into three parts after being hit by the ship when the four fishermen were sleeping after casting their nets," Oremo said.
He noted that the collision caught the crew completely unaware.
He added that one of the fragments, where the three deceased fishermen had been seated, sank almost immediately.
"They were unable to swim before they drowned," he explained.
The lone survivor managed to stay afloat by clinging to a different section of the wrecked boat.
According to Oremo, the fisherman held onto the fragment for an extended period, fighting off fatigue and the rough waters of the lake until other fishermen in the vicinity arrived to rescue him.
Local officials believe that negligence may have played a role in the tragedy.
Oremo said there are strong suspicions that the ship involved in the collision did not have its headlights on at the time, a lapse that would have made it difficult for the sleeping fishermen to detect its approach.
"We suspect the ship did not put its headlights on to alert the fishermen," he said, calling for a thorough investigation into the vessel's compliance with maritime safety regulations.
Search operations to retrieve the bodies of the three missing fishermen began early this morning, led by local divers and fishermen from nearby beaches.
The effort, supported by BMU officials and county authorities, has focused on the waters surrounding Remba Island, an area known for its heavy traffic of both fishing boats and international cargo vessels.
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The survivor is receiving medical attention as authorities work to establish the full circumstances that led to the fatal collisions.
