Police in Buvuma district are searching for the bodies of four people who were sailing on an overloaded boat, which capsized on Lake Victoria last night.

The crew was travelling from Kirongo landing site in Busamuzi sub-county Buvuma district to Kiyindi landing site in Buikwe district.

Ssezibwa Police region spokesperson Hellen Bututo says the incident, which happened on February 15, 2024, was reported by Elisa Mukisa, 16, a pupil at Kirongo Primary School in Busamuzi sub-county.

While speaking to New Vision Online on Friday, Butoto said its reported that at about about 7:30pm on a fateful night, coxwain Kabenge,   resident of Kiyindi who hired the boat from Omoro of the same village, came to Kirongo landing site and started loading cows with people and their properties.

Elisa Mukisa who reported the accident said Kabenge had overloaded the boat with five cows, one sack of silver fish (Mukene), a motorcycle number plate not yet identified and four people.

They included butcher Karismart, and businesswoman Nalongo Justine Achen from Kasali B whose body had been retrieved by press time.

Others were fish maw dealer Tom, the owner of the motorcycle from Buvuma.

“After loading, concerned people at the land site asked him to reduce the load as he had overloaded but Kabenge said he was a senior in cruising boats, he then started the engine and moved,” the boy reported.

Bututo noted that as they reached the middle of the lake, the occupants started crying for help with loud voices for help that the boat was sinking.

A rescue team from Kirongo landing site led by one Ddungu followed using another boat but didn't find anybody. They only found the capsized boat with four bodies of dead cows tied on the boat which they brought back to Kirongo landing site.

The accident scene was handed over to marine officers from Kiyindi as attempts to recover the remaining bodies continue.

Last year, a boat travelling from Zigunga to Zinga lsland carrying 19 people capsized and five people drowned while 14 were rescued. 

Deadliest boat tragedies on L.Victoria

On August 3, 2023, a boat carrying passengers and cargo from Ssese Islands capsized near Nsazi Island leaving 20 drowned and nine survivors.

In 2002, a passenger boat carrying over 80 passengers and their cargo capsized along Lwanabatya bay leaving 75 dead. These were heading to different landing sites on Bukasa island.

In December 2016, a boat carrying 18 passengers from Kisaba landing site capsized a few meters away after its departure, leaving nine drowned and nine survivors. This tragedy was blamed on overloading and heavy waves.

In 2018, MV Templar capsized leaving over 30 people drowned and at least 37 survivors.