Migori: 5 People Confirmed Dead As Boat Overturns In Lake Victoria Due To Bad Weather

• The Lake Victoria boat accident happened on Monday, December 4, when the water vessel was approaching Aneko Beach in Nyatike constituency
• Aneko location chief David Okoth Lwero said the vessel had several people in it when the accident happened
• However, a search and rescue operation mounted by the local fishing community and coordinated by Lwero failed to find the missing passengers

Dennis Lubanga, a Kenyan journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than 10 years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Migori - Five people have been confirmed dead after a boat they were travelling in overturned in Lake Victoria along Aneko Beach in Migori town.

The accident happened on Monday, December 4, around 4:30pm when the boat was approaching the beach when huge waves rocked it before it broke.

Aneko location chief David Okoth Lwero said the vessel had several people in it when the accident happened.

“Among those dead are five women and one man,” Lwero said.

KBC TV reported that several passengers were said to have been saved by the crew of a boat that was sailing nearby.

How the Lake Victoria search and rescue mission was coordinated

A search and rescue operation mounted by the local fishing community and coordinated by Lwero failed to find the missing passengers.

The search and rescue mission was postponed to the morning of Tuesday, December 5.

The incident comes as the country struggles with the effects of ongoing floods that have left scores dead and wreaked havoc across parts of the country.

TUKO.co.ke previously reported that an evening marine accident on Lake Victoria claimed 25 out of the 34 passengers on board a large vessel.

Rescuers drawn from various government agencies are still searching for the bodies of victims, with only nine rescued alive.

Daily Monitor reported that fishermen from neighbouring shores said the ill-fated boat was transporting 34 passengers and cargo from Lwanabatya Landing Site in Kalangala District.

The boat was also ferrying a large consignment that included several bags of charcoal, fresh foods, and silverfish.

What caused a previous boat accident on Lake Victoria

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SSP Patrick Onyango said overloading and bad weather conditions were to blame for one of the worst tragedies in recent times.

"The number of people on board are allegedly to be 34. The boat was carrying bags of charcoal, fresh foods, and silverfish, among others. The cause of accident is attributed to overloading and bad weather," he said in a statement.

The boat is said to have run into a strong windstorm as the captain struggled to maintain control. The winds reportedly dragged it off course.

Onyango appealed to travellers to ensure they have their life jackets on to help in such situations and desist from overloading crafts.