L. Victoria Boat Tragedy: Death Toll Climbs To 30 As Museveni Mourns
The Police has so far confirmed 30 people dead in the motor boat accident that occurred last night on Lake Victoria. The 30 bodies were pulled out of the water by the Police and the UPDF Marine Unit in a rescue operation that has been ongoing since the accident occurred last night.
The UPDF spokesman Brig Richard Karemeire said that the team of divers has increased to include those from Police, UPDF Marine and Airforce.
“So far the number of the dead retrieved is 30 in total. Those alive remain 26. The operation continues. It is a grieving moment for the Nation. RIP,” said Brig Karemire.
President’s full statement
On behalf of all Ugandans, I send condolences to the families of the people who died in the accident on Lake Victoria last evening.
According to preliminary information from the security services, this, apparently, was a private, unregistered, unlicensed and maybe uninsured boat.
The boat was owned by somebody called Templa Bissase or Bissaso and his wife, both of whom, apparently, perished in the accident. They were coming from a private beach and headed to another private beach in Mukono area.
It seems the boat was overloaded because whereas it had capacity for 50 people only, it had about 120 passengers on board.
The passengers also seemed to be partying with a lot of music. They might not have heard the emergency commands of the captain, who is still unaccounted for.
When the Police and the UPDF got information from the fishermen, they rushed in and rescued 26 people. By today morning, 29 dead bodies had been recovered.
This is why, apart from the anti-bad fishing campaign which the UPDF has been carrying out for some months now on the lakes, the government has also ordered the electronic registration and monitoring of all the boats so that we can know who is where on the lake and why.
The five times I crossed in small boats or canoes some of the lakes of East Africa (thrice Lake Victoria and two times Lake Tanganyika), I found them very dangerous to cross when you are not fully prepared; no overloading, standby engines, life jackets, reliable navigation etc etc.
Let everybody take the warning from this tragedy.
Obviously, the operators of this boat will be charged with criminal negligence and manslaughter, if they have not already been punished for their mistake by dying in the accident.
May the souls of all those departed rest in peace.
YOWERI K. MUSEVENI
PRESIDENT
Some of the dead according to a list released by the police contains the following names.
1. Musumba Yoweri-dream plaza and dream hotel, Kampala
2. Templar Bisase -the Proprietor of K Palm Beach and owner of the boat
3. Sheila Bisase the wife to Templar
4. Sheila Bonimpa
5. Sheila Nzamukunda
6. Esther Arinda
7. Isaac Kayondo
8. Nyanzi John
9. Musisi Micheal
10. Owecho Bosco -the first person to respond to the accident
11. Asala Bilditon
12. Ndeyu Arnold
13. Wamala Derrick
14. Ndoli Brian
15. Kaddu Micheal
16. Kawuki Tony
17. Muyenga Moses -the Director Lights Events
18. Namala Ritah
19. Mawanda Fred
20. Ssemakula Paul
21. Chuck Brian Salvador also known as The Last King
