Soroti District – One person has been confirmed dead following a boat accident caused by strong waves on Lake Kyoga in Abango-Ojaret Village, Ocokican Sub-County, Soroti District.
The deceased has been identified as Jorem Emolu, 24, who drowned on Sunday while returning from a church service. Two of his brothers survived the incident.
According to preliminary reports, the three brothers were crossing Lake Kyoga by boat from Ark of Grace Church in Adipala Parish, Serere District, where they had attended Sunday prayers. The accident occurred midway across the lake after sudden strong waves overturned their boat.
Moses Ojok, the father of the deceased and also the Local Council One (LC1) Chairperson of Abango-Ojaret Village, said the brothers set off in the morning when the lake appeared calm.
“On their way back, they noticed waves that later subsided. Unfortunately, when they reached the middle of the lake, the waves suddenly intensified and overturned the boat,” Ojok explained.
He added that while two of the brothers managed to swim to safety, Emolu was overwhelmed by the strong waves, lost his breath, and sank.
Ojok said he rushed to the scene upon receiving the news and marked the spot where his son disappeared before securing the boat and pulling it to the shore.
A search for the body began on Sunday at around 3:00 PM, but efforts were unsuccessful until Monday morning, when the body was finally recovered.
The incident was confirmed by John Michael Epiku, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Chairperson for Ocokican Sub-County, who attributed the tragedy to the lack of protective gear and the use of poor-quality boats.
Epiku described the incident as a wake-up call to lake users, especially the fishing and lakeside communities, to prioritize safety while on water.
“This tragedy highlights the need for protective measures such as life jackets and proper attire. The deceased might have survived if he had not been wearing heavy shoes,” Epiku noted.
By press time, the family was making burial arrangements for the deceased.
