Kagadi, Uganda: Dozens of passengers are feared to have drowned and several missing after a canoe carrying an estimated 35 to 40 people capsized on the River Nguse in Kagadi District on Tuesday night.
The incident occurred at around 8:30 pm at Kyaleni Village in Pachwa Town Council, prompting an immediate response from police and marine rescue teams.
According to Albertine Regional Police Spokesperson SP Julius Hakiza, one survivor has so far been identified as Byaruhanga Tumuhaise, 27, a resident of Kyaleni.
Police say the exact number of missing persons remains unclear due to the absence of a passenger manifest, raising fears that the actual number of victims could be higher.
“Marine Police are conducting search and rescue operations, while an inquiry into the cause of the accident is ongoing,” Hakiza said, adding that preliminary findings point to possible contributing factors including overloading, night travel, and the condition of the vessel.
Authorities have urged relatives of individuals who may have been on the ill-fated canoe to report to Kagadi Central Police Station to aid identification and rescue efforts.
The tragedy adds to a growing pattern of water transport accidents in Uganda, with the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2025 highlighting recurring risks linked to overloading, poor vessel maintenance, and lack of safety enforcement on inland waterways.
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