Five killed in boat accident on Lake Bisina, one still missing

Feb 03, 2012

Five people have been reported dead when a boat they were traveling on capsized on Lake Bisina in Kumi district.

By Godfrey Ojore and Lawrence Ilakut

Five people have been reported dead when a boat they were traveling on capsized on Lake Bisina in Kumi district Tuesday morning.

Police and eyewitness reports reveal that the ill-fated boat was heading to Kumi district when it capsized in the middle of the lake.

At the time of the accident, the boat was carrying 12 people – four men, three women and five children. Police and local authorities immediately embarked on a determined hunt for the missing persons.

The body of a three-year old boy Joshua Okoboi was the first to be recovered.

On Thursday, another three bodies were found, bringing the number to four. Of the three retrieved bodies, one was of Harriet Agwang 25, a mother of three who perished together with her children and the other of Joan Abore, aged five.

The body of seven-year old Isaac Omongole was found later on the same day by local divers.

Police has identified the dead as Harriet Agwang 25, Sam Okoboi 3, Joan Abore 5, Isaac Omongole 7, and Winnie Ikulumet 12.

The survivors were Constant Kelimo 42, from Katakwi; Immaculate Asio 35, a widow from Katakwi; Jane Apio 35 of Kumi and Sam Okoboi 32 of Bukedea.

According to the District Police Commander (DPC), Gasper Obingu, Police is hunting for the other two occupants of the boat who fled upon the accident. The duo, identified only as Etalu and Okiror, are from Katakwi district.

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The survivors (picture) all blame the two boat operators who fled for failing to help save their loved ones whom they were traveling with on the fateful Tuesday morning. PHOTO by Godfrey Ojore

Wild wind

“The survivors told me that the cause of the accident was strong wind and that the boat was overloaded with sacks of charcoal and other things,” Obingu told New Vision.

The boat was also in a poor state, unable to manage strong winds, he reported.

The survivors, who blamed the two boat operators who fled instead of helping them, were saved by fishmongers who came moments after the accident occurred.

Family gone

 “My wife and children would not have died if these boat operators remained. They fled and left my family dying!” lamented Sam Okoboi 32, who lost all his family of four.

Okoboi said him and his family were returning from Katakwi where he had gone for a crusade organized by Living Hope Ministries.

He explained that they put off traveling back to Kumi on Monday because of the strong winds. But when they decided to travel the following day thinking that the wind would not be as strong, Okoboi did not know he would lose his entire family to the impending disaster.

“It was in the middle of the lake that the wind intensified. We tried all we could but it became so strong that it overturned the boat,” Okoboi, now alone, cried.

32-year old Constant Kelimo whose 12-year old deaf girl died in the fateful incident, said he had raised concern that the boat was overloaded, but his complaints were unattended to.

Like the rest of the survivors, Kelimo pits the blame on the two escapees.

Support

The team of local divers is still at the lake searching for the remaining missing body. The Red Cross supplied five life jackets to the people accompanying the local divers at the lake.

On Wednesday RDC Kampala Hasaka visited the landing site and promised that if the search became difficult, government would hire professional divers.

“The state of boats on this lake is not good. I want all boats registered and only new boats will be allowed to operate,” Hasaka said

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