Five Drown in Lake Victoria as Overloaded Boat Capsizes

Five people have tragically drowned in Lake Victoria after the boat they were traveling in overturned.

The victims had boarded an overloaded boat from Kirongo landing site bound for Kiyindi landing site on Thursday. Among the deceased are Kabenge, the boat operator, Karisimati (a butcher at Kirongo trading center), Nalongo (a silverfish trader), Tom (a fish maw dealer), and another unidentified woman.

It is alleged that the boat was carrying approximately five cows, one sack of silverfish, and a motorcycle.

Preliminary investigations by the police indicate that the boat operator had hired the vessel from Omoro, a resident of Kiyindi town, before traveling to Kirongo to load it with cows.

It is alleged that despite advice to offload some of the cows due to overloading, the boat operator insisted on transporting them.

Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa Regional Police Spokesperson, confirmed that they have recovered the body of Nalongo, with efforts ongoing to locate the remaining victims.