Seven folks drowned and 29 others survived after a ship carrying mourners capsized on Lake Kyoga in northern Uganda’s Amolatar District, police mentioned.
The picket vessel was touring from Muchora Abino A village to escort a catechist to a burial ceremony when it overturned close to Kiryanga Village in Acii Sub-County at about 11:00 am native time on Friday, police mentioned in a press release on Saturday, Xinhua information company reported.
“A complete of 36 folks have been on board and 29 survived the accident. The incident occurred roughly 400 meters from the Kiryanga touchdown web site when the engine boat hit a stationary tree stump, inflicting it to capsize,” the assertion mentioned.
Police mentioned the our bodies of the deceased have been taken to Amolatar Well being Centre IV mortuary for autopsy examinations.
Boat accidents are frequent on Uganda’s lakes, typically blamed on overloading and poor climate situations.
An analogous incident occured in Nigeria final month, which claimed the lives of 60 folks.
At the least 60 folks have been killed and dozens rescued after a ship capsized in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State on September 3.
Minister of Info and Nationwide Orientation Mohammed Idris, on behalf of the Nigerian authorities, expressed unhappiness “with a heavy coronary heart” over the “tragedy” in a press release launched on social media platform X, the primary by any prime authorities official because the accident on Tuesday, when a picket passenger boat carrying folks on a condolence go to overturned within the Gausawa neighborhood of Borgu Native Authorities Space.
Idris famous that the incident occurred barely 4 months after devastating floods wreaked havoc within the state. “The federal authorities, by the Nationwide Emergency Administration Company (NEMA), will present the required help to the victims’ households and survivors, working intently with the Niger State authorities to make sure immediate reduction and help.”
The boat was reportedly overloaded and collided with a tree stump, in keeping with preliminary investigations by native authorities.