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Two fishermen drown in Lake Kyoga
What you need to know:
- The deceased have been identified as Moses Omara, 27, a resident of Odyak Parish and Innocent Oron, 26, a resident of Atongparo village, all in Muntu Sub County, Amolatar District
At least two fishermen have been confirmed dead after a boat they were sailing in capsized in Lake Kyoga in Amolatar District.
The incident that took place at Nalubwoyo landing site at around 10am on Wednesday, occurred after a strong wind accompanied by lightning and severe storm hit them, causing the boat to overturn.
The deceased have been identified as Moses Omara, 27, a resident of Odyak Parish and Innocent Oron, 26, a resident of Atongparo village, all in Muntu Sub County, Amolatar District.
It’s reported that three fishermen were in the boat at the time of the incident. However, one Sam Okullu, a resident of Nalubwoyo Sub County survived the accident.
The North Kyoga Regional Police Spokesperson, SP Jimmy Patrick Okema confirmed the incident adding that Omara's body has been retrieved while the search for Oron’s is still continuing.
“An incident of alleged death by drowning of two persons whose small boat capsized in water due to strong winds was reported at Nalubwoyo police post in Nalubwoyo Sub County in Amolatar district,” SP Okema said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Efforts to trace the bodies are still ongoing and a detailed report shall follow,” he added.
Mr Alfred Yubu Ocen, the Nalubwoyo Sub County Chairperson attributed the accident to the use of unrecommended vessels and overloading by the victims.
“The cause of the accident was due to overloading and bad weather,” Ocen told the Monitor in an interview on Thursday, adding: “We appeal to members of the public who travel through water transport to always wear life jackets and not to overload their vessels.”
