Senior Reporter
The Marine Police in Kabale District are working tirelessly to locate the bodies of two adult females who tragically drowned in Lake Bunyonyi after the dugout canoe they were sailing in capsized on a stormy Saturday evening.
Amid rough winds, the lake turned treacherous, resulting in the tragic loss of three individuals, including two women and an infant. Despite extensive efforts to recover the bodies, only the remains of the infant were found and laid to rest yesterday.
The victims, identified as Naturinda Racheal, Kesande Lehonelia, and the five-month-old Grant, succumbed to the harsh conditions brought on by heavy rains, strong winds, and hailstorms that lasted for nearly five hours.
Elidad Kalanzi, chairman of LC1 Murandi village, received a distressing phone call around 4:30 PM on Saturday, alerting him to the drowning incident. He confirmed that the canoe, carrying five people, had capsized, resulting in the loss of three lives while two managed to survive.
Elly Maate, the Kigezi Region Police spokesperson, verified the incident and assured ongoing efforts by Marine police and locals to locate the missing bodies. He expressed confidence that their diligent search would yield positive results.
Lake Bunyonyi, with an estimated depth of 900 meters (3000 feet), stands as Africa’s second-deepest lake and is adorned with 29 picturesque islands.
