20 people drown in Lake Victoria

Boat accidents are common during the months of July and August due to strong winds

At least 20 people have been confirmed dead after the boat in which they were travelling capsized in Lake Victoria. The police have said the accident happened at around 5 am in the morning of Wednesday August 2, 2023.

10 lucky travelers were rescued by fishermen. Police recovered bodies of the deceased after receiving calls from other rescuers, but is yet to reveal their identities.

The heavily-loaded cargo boat was coming from Lwanabatya landing site on Bukasa island in Kyamuswa County in Kalangala district destined for Kasenyi landing site in Entebbe when it was hit by strong winds around Nsazi islands in Mukono district.

This is the third fatal accident in a space of one month on the Ugandan side of the lake, attributed to bad weather conditions.

Overloading is also often a major contributor to boat accidents on Ugandan water bodies.
In early July 2023, 5 people lost their lives in a similar accident when a boat that started its ill-fated journey from Kisaba landing site – also on Bukasa island, was hit by strong winds.

July and August are regarded as high risk months for travelers on lake victoria due to strong winds. But this year has been exceptionally windy which explains the high number of boat accidents and deaths.

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