After the recent Lake Victoria accident, a Uganda police marine vessel embarked on a rescue mission but ended up capsizing.
KAMPALA, UGANDA | NOW THEN DIGITAL — A rescue operation by a Ugandan police marine vessel, responding to the recent Lake Victoria incident, ended in disaster as the boat capsized.
Luke Owoyesigyire, deputy spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan police, reported that the police boat, on Sunday morning, met a tragic fate in Lake Victoria while returning to shore following a successful rescue mission.
Owoyesigyire stated, “While returning to the shore after successfully retrieving a body from the water, the boat capsized due to strong winds on the lake.”
He emphasized, “The incident underscores the unpredictable nature of the lake and the challenging conditions that our dedicated Marine officers face while executing their life-saving duties.”
Fortunately, all five marine officers aboard the capsized boat were successfully rescued.
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Ugandan authorities emphasized that this accident serves as a testament to the lake’s unpredictable character and the demanding circumstances encountered by their officers during life-saving operations.
“As the investigation into the accident is ongoing, further details will be provided as soon as they become available. Our priority remains to ensure the safety of our personnel and the public while conducting rescue operations and patrolling the waters of Lake Victoria , efforts to also retrieve more missing bodies are still on , on the accident that happened earlier this week,” the authorities stated.
Acknowledging the courage and dedication of the rescue teams, the statement conveyed, “We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the rescuers who are participating in the successful retrieval of the missing person’s bodies and the prompt rescue of our officers. Their bravery and dedication are commendable. The Marine Police department remains committed to upholding safety protocols and measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. We will continue to collaborate with relevant authorities and stakeholders to enhance safety and rescue operations on Lake Victoria.”
Amid these events, the death toll from last week’s boat mishap on Lake Victoria has now reached a tragic count of 30.
The unfortunate incident occurred when a boat transporting various cargo, including charcoal, fresh provisions, and silver fish, embarked from Lwanabatya landing site in Kalangala district, en route to Kasenyi landing site in Entebbe. Tragically, the vessel succumbed to the forceful nighttime winds on the lake, leading to its capsizing.
Ongoing rescue endeavors remain in progress.
BOAT ACCIDENT ON LAKE VICTORIA
Today, the 6th of August at about 10:00 am , a tragic accident occurred on Lake Victoria involving a marine police boat that was on a rescue mission to recover missing persons who had drowned earlier this week. While returning to… pic.twitter.com/XkKvh3hHjd
— Uganda Police Force (@PoliceUg) August 6, 2023
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