Officials make efforts to retrieve body of a fisherman

Busia,

Thursday, November 16, 2023

KNA by Salome Alwanda

The Kenya Coastguard in collaboration with the local leadership has launched a frantic search to retrieve the body a fisherman who drowned in Lake Victoria at dawn Wednesday.

James Okello (50) is said to have met his death at around 4.00am when their boat capsized in Lake Victoria.

At the time of the incident, Okello was in the company of two other fishermen when they tried to swim towards the shore of the Lake but unfortunately, he could not make it but the other two managed to swim to safety.

Confirming the incident, the Assistant Chief of Budibudi Sub Location Morris Nyongesa said that a team comprising of the Kenya Coastguard Services and the local administration has launched a search for the late Okello who hailed from Namasali village in Samia Sub County.

Nyongesa attributed the incident to heavy winds that overwhelmed the trio when they were rowing a boat from Marenga beach to Budubudi.

“When the boat capsized, the three fishermen tried to swim but unfortunately Okello lost his life,” he said.

He advised fishermen to ensure that they wear life jackets whenever they wanted to venture into fishing expeditions.

The official appealed to local leaders to support the team with fuel and foodstuff as they continued with the search overnight.

Evans Osiolo who survived the incident narrated how they struggled to stabilize the boat but it finally capsized.

Osiolo added that the other survivor jumped out of the boat and began swimming before he was followed by the late Okello.

“I also decided to follow him but I was fast enough to overtake him," said Osiolo, adding that on looking back, he realized that Okello had already drowned.

courtesy; KNA