KAGADI
10 bodies have so far been recovered following a fatal boat accident on River Nguse in Kagadi district, police reported on Monday.
On April 28 at around 8:30pm, a canoe carrying an estimated 39 passengers capsized in River Nguse in Kagadi district, Bunyoro subregion. The group was travelling from Bugoma forest reserve in Kikuube district to Kagadi.
Addressing journalists at the Police Headquarters in Naguru on Monday, Deputy Police spokesperson SSP Diana Nandawula said 15 people survived the accident, while the rest are feared dead, noting that a search for the missing passengers is ongoing.
“Ten bodies have been recovered and the search and recovery operations are still ongoing to make sure that all people who could have drowned are removed from the water,” Nandawula said.
She added that marine divers, supported by the UPDF and local residents, are still combing the river to retrieve more bodies. Families of the missing have since camped at the scene, awaiting news of their loved ones as rescue teams continue their efforts.
Nandawula noted that several relatives have reported individuals still unaccounted for, complicating efforts to establish the exact number of victims.
Preliminary findings indicate that the canoe, which had a recommended capacity of about 15 people, was grossly overloaded with nearly 40 passengers at the time of the accident.
“This was a disaster in waiting,” Nandawula said, attributing the tragedy to overloading and disregard for water transport safety guidelines.
She urged the public to strictly observe safety precautions while using water transport, including wearing life jackets, avoiding overloading vessels, and refraining from night travel.
The police also warned that rescue operations are often hampered by darkness when accidents occur at night, delaying response times.
“Some people claim life jackets are expensive, but nothing is more valuable than human life,” Nandawula emphasised.
Authorities said the search will continue until all missing persons are accounted for.
