Homa Bay boat tragedy survivors recount accident

Felix Ouma, the coxswain of a motorboat that capsized in Lake Victoria on Tuesday, has blamed strong winds for the accident.

The accident left at least five passengers dead, six rescued and  others still missing.

The 4:20pm accident happened after strong winds and waves overpowered the motorboat which overturned.

The boat, said  to have been carrying 19 people, capsized about 500 metres away from pier beach in Homa Bay town.

The boat was traveling from Homa Bay to Ndhuru beach in Suba South constituency which is about 12km away. It is said to have been carrying timber, cement and other assorted goods.

Search operations undertaken by Kenya Maritime Authority, Kenya Coast Guards and local divers are ongoing in the lake.

By Wednesday afternoon, three more bodies had been retrieved raising the death toll to five people. 

Speaking to journalists at Homa Bay Referral Hospital on Wednesday, Ouma said strong winds and waves overpowered the boat making it overturn.

“I am traumatised and don’t know if I will continue doing this kind of work. I have done this work for five years and nothing like this has ever happened,” the 28-year-old man said.

“The strong waves and winds made the boat unstable, passengers begun to panic and moved towards one side of the boat making it capsize,” Ouma said.

He said everyone who was in the boat fell into the water and those who knew how to swim managed to float until they were rescued.

Ouma said he clung to a drum that was floating on the water from the boat and remained afloat until some fishermen saved him.

“I will find it difficult to ride a boat once I recover, this accident has terrified me,” he added.

In the same hospital where five survivors were being treated, Benta Aoko and Eunice Atieno said they were lucky to be alive.

Aoko, who is a fish trader, said she suffered suffocation before she was rescued. “I lost all the fish I had bought for sale and other items worth more than Sh100,000 in the accident,” Aoko said.

Homa Bay county commissioner Moses Lilan said they had  accounted for 11 persons so far who were involved in the accident.

He said they had put up a search and incident command centre to help coordinate the operation.

“This centre is helping us get the relevant information for undertaking the exercise smoothly,” Lilan said.

Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga supported the search operation team with various items to aid the exercise.

She donated 100 litres of petrol for boats, five cartons of oil, two tents to shelter the victims’ relatives and snacks and drinks for those who were undertaking the search.

“Let’s join hands so that we support the families which have been befallen by the tragedy,” Wanga said.

Lake Basin Development Authority chairman Odoyo Owidi asked counties surrounding Lake Victoria to set up an emergency rescue centre for helping people who get involved in lake accidents.

“The rescue centre should be complete with an air ambulance to respond to emergencies,” Owidi said.

Families of the people who are still missing are camping at the lake shore.

Samuel Osao said his six relatives were in the boat. “We’re waiting to know their whereabouts. I’m ready to pick them even if they are dead,” he said.

-Edited by SKanyara