More than 30 people are feared dead after their boat capsized on Lake Albert in western Uganda on Sunday.
The engine-powered boat was transporting football players and fans from Fofo Landing Site in Buseruka Sub-county to Runga Landing Site in Kigorobya Sub-county in Hoima District.
The landing sites were supposed to have two separate football matches of men and women.
According to witnesses, the boat, which was loaded with more than 50 people, set off from Fofo Landing Site at about 3pm.
“The boat capsized about 300 metres after taking off from the landing site,” said Mr Sadic Nyangireki, the Nyakabingo Parish youth chairperson.
Sad news coming through from Lake Albert with unconfirmed numbers involved in yet another tragedy where strong winds hit the boat in which these souls were sailing in. let's do something in regards to the safety of our people on our waters. #Uganda#RipCitizens pic.twitter.com/4Zyv2Bja1S
— John K.Wasikye 🇺🇬 (@jkwasikye) May 20, 2019
“The boat capsized about 300 metres after taking off from the landing site,” said Mr Nyangireki.
“The coxswain attempted to return to the landing site when the winds started blowing but the boat capsized,” he said.
New Vision says about 25 people from Fofo were rescued, many of them fishermen, and rescue operations are continuing.
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Lake Albert covers 5,300 km². Uganda found a multi-billion barrel oil field in the Lake Albert basin which is said to be the largest onshore field found in sub-Saharan Africa in recent past.— pantheress🇰🇪 (@annlemaiyan) May 20, 2019
“We managed to rescue 10 people instantly. When we intensified the search, we rescued 10 others. They have been taken to different health centres for medication.
The search efforts are still underway,” Mr Godfrey Komakech, the Buseruka Sub-county district councillor, was quoted by the Daily Monitor.
A survivor of the accident, MS Amia Jane, told the Daily Monitor that the boat had a hole that was letting in water.
In 2016, about 40 footballers and fans drowned when their boat capsized on Lake Albert on Christmas Day as they travelled to participate in a friendly football match.
In November last year, at least 29 people died after a cruise boat carrying party revellers capsized on Lake Victoria, Uganda.
The vessel was carrying close to 100 people when it sank near Uganda’s capital, Kampala.
Ugandan media named a number of well-known people said to be on the boat, adding that the prince of a traditional kingdom had survived.
Lake Victoria sees regular accidents, often involving overcrowded vessels.