3 drown in L. Bunyonyi, bodies still missing

By Moses Agaba

Three people including a baby have drowned in Lake Bunyonyi, after a dugout canoe, in which they were sailing in, capsized last evening.

The deceased have been identified as Naturinda Racheal, Kesande Lehonelia, and Grant, who was five months old.

This occurred during heavy rains accompanied by strong winds and a hailstorm that lasted close to five hours.

Steven KabareEbe, an eyewitness, recalls that around 3:00 pm yesterday, as he was at home, he heard people shouting loudly as the rain started.

He was compelled to investigate and witnessed the canoe overturning. He attempted to find a canoe to rescue them but was deterred by the rough conditions. Unfortunately, by the time he could act, the two females had already drowned.

Elidad Kalanzi, chairman of LC1 Murandi village, received a phone call around 4:30 reporting the drowning incident as people sought shelter during the rain. He confirms that there were five people in the canoe, three of whom drowned while two survived.

George Asiimwe, a resident, appeals to the government to provide life jackets for each family. He emphasizes the long-standing presence of residents around the lake and the need for engine boats to support their transportation needs on the lake.

Elly Maate the Kigezi Sub-region police spokesperson confirms awareness of the incident and ongoing search efforts involving marine police and locals. He expresses hope for positive outcomes from the search.

By press time, the search for the bodies was still on.