Mayuge, Uganda: The death toll from the Lake Victoria boat accident near Bugoto landing site in Bukabooli Sub County has risen to six, with authorities confirming that a toddler is among the victims of the tragic incident.
Police said the ill-fated boat, which was carrying 14 people, capsized while returning from Buyengo landing site, where the occupants had gone for gardening activities. Eight people were rescued, while six lost their lives.
The deceased have been identified as Zalika Naiwumbwe, 45, Badiru Gabunda, 40, who was the vessel captain, Harriet Kisakye, 40, Denis Mudobe, 30, Farouk Kapadu, 30, and a three-year-old child whose identity had not yet been confirmed by press time.
Preliminary findings indicate that the boat was overloaded with both passengers and farm produce, including foodstuffs such as potatoes, bananas, jackfruits, and firewood, which may have contributed to the accident. Local leaders also pointed to the poor condition of the vessel and rough weather as possible factors.
Sadala Wagende, LC1 Chairperson of Bugoto A village, said the incident occurred in the evening hours and that residents were unable to respond quickly due to lack of rescue equipment.
“They were returning from the garden, and the boat was heavily loaded with goods and people. We suspect overloading and the poor state of the boat caused the tragedy,” Wagende said, calling on government to provide standby rescue boats to support emergency response.
Leaders within the fishing community echoed similar concerns, warning against the continued use of unregulated and unsafe vessels on the lake. Benson Bwire Adiba, Chairperson of the Bugoto landing site fishing community, urged residents to prioritise safety and use approved boats.
Survivors of the accident said the situation worsened when a strong storm hit the vessel mid-journey, causing it to lose balance and eventually capsize. Some of the rescued victims are currently receiving treatment at Kigandalo Health Centre IV.
Busoga East Regional Police Spokesperson ASP Micheal Kasadha confirmed the incident and attributed the likely cause to overloading.
“The likely cause of the accident is overloading. We call upon water transport users to observe safety measures, including wearing life jackets and avoiding overloaded vessels,” Kasadha said.
Police marine units, led by the District CID team in Mayuge, responded to the scene and are continuing investigations into the incident.
The tragedy has left the Bugoto community in mourning, with families calling for government support and stricter enforcement of water transport safety regulations to prevent similar incidents on Lake Victoria.
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