Homa Bay: 36-Year-Old Man Slips, Drowns While Preparing To Fish

• Willis Oketch, a 36-year-old fisherman, tragically drowned at Ngegu Beach in Lake Victoria while preparing for a night fishing trip
• Witnesses reported that Oketch fell into the lake and failed to surface despite his colleagues’ desperate attempts to rescue him
• Ngegu Beach Management Unit chairman Caleb Ochieng confirmed that Oketch was not wearing a life jacket, highlighting a disregard for safety regulations
• The local community appealed for government assistance to retrieve Oketch's body for a proper burial

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Homa Bay - A tragic accident has claimed the life of a 36-year-old fisherman, Willis Oketch, who drowned in Lake Victoria at Ngegu Beach in Rangwe Constituency.

According to witnesses, Oketch slipped and fell into the lake while preparing for a fishing trip at night.

His colleagues, who were with him at the time, recounted the moments leading up to the accident.

Fredrick Odhiambo explained that they had been engaged in casual conversation when Oketch suddenly went silent.

"We left at 8pm, but as we were getting ready to start fishing, he asked us to prepare. Before he could finish his statement, I heard a splash in the water. When I looked back, he was not in the boat. Despite our attempts to rescue him with anything he could hold on to, we couldn’t find him. He never surfaced, and we waited for a long time without seeing him," Odhiambo narrated.

Gabriel Ondiek, another colleague, added that after an extensive search, they finally spotted Oketch’s cap floating on the water.

The incident has left the local fishing community in shock and mourning as they come to terms with the loss of their colleague.

What caused Oketch's drowning

Confirming the incident, Ngegu Beach Management Unit chairman Caleb Ochieng said the fisherman was not wearing a life jacket during the incident.

Ochieng said it was a tragic incident, adding that they have always urged fishermen to follow safety regulations when going into the lake.

"We had already talked to the fishermen, instructing them to wear life jackets while at sea, to go without drinking alcohol, and to follow the fisheries regulations. Unfortunately, they went without adhering to these rules," Ochieng lamented.

Geoffrey Osano, a resident, appealed to the government agencies to help them retrieve Oketch's body for burial.

"As of now, we are appealing for any assistance we can at least get from any of the concerned bodies to help us find the body as a family and retrieve it," he said.

2 police officers missing after boat capsizes

In another incident, at least two police officers were among three people missing after a boat capsized in Lake Victoria.

According to a police report seen by TUKO.co.ke, the accident occurred on the night of Friday, March 24, 2023, in Nyatike South sub-county, Migori county.

The case was reported at Muhuru Bay police station under Occurrence Book (OB.NO.2/24/03/2023).

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke