Five feared dead on Lake Victoria

FIVE people are feared to have drowned in Lake Victoria after the boat they were using for fishing capsized and sank on Monday night. Efforts to search for the missing bodies were on progress when the paper went to press last evening.

Chairman for Rubiri village in Muleba District’s Mazinga Island, Mzamiru Iddi, named the missing fishermen as Avitus Clemence (29), Alistides Dioniz (20), Majid Said (47), Muksin Theonest (46) and 39-year old Nickson Leopold.

According to Mr Iddi, the missing fishermen were plying between Mazinga and Kerebe Islets when strong winds hit the engine boat at around 9 pm on Monday.“

The boat capsized and all the five people on board are feared to have drowned. The matter had been reported to Muleba police station,” he said.

Kagera Regional Police Commander (RPC) Augustine Ollomi confirmed the incident, saying the rescue team was already on the scene of accident looking for the missing people.

Meanwhile, a five-month-old baby boy died when the room he was sleeping in caught fire.

Mr Ollomi said the accident occurred on December 9, this year, at around 8.30pm at Igabiro fish landing site, Kaagya ward in Bukoba Rural District.

The RPC explained that the 21-year mother of the child identified as Lilian Johansen had rented a room at Upendo Guest House and had left to watch a television, leaving the child inside the room.