Three fishermen drown in Lake Victoria

Three fishermen among them a Tanzanian national drowned on Sunday while on a fishing expedition in Lake Victoria.

The three, identified as Martin Kieti, 41, Joseph Kososi, 33 and Tanzanian citizen Nyang’ope also known as Jasirati aged 30 years, died after their boat was overwhelmed by heavy tides that forced it to capsize.

They had boarded the boat at around 5.50pm in Sindo main beach near Rusinga Island, Homa Bay County and were in the company of another fisherman identified as Dan Otieno, 38, who survived the accident.

Homa Bay County Police Commandant Marius Tum confirmed the incident saying two fishermen died on the spot while one drowned later while struggling to swim to shore.

According to Kaksingri West Location Chief Samwel Obado, the fishermen were sailing from Wadiang’a beach in Sindo to Rusinga Island before the incident occurred at around 11.30pm.

Chief Obado said the situation was worsened by heavy rainfall that began while the four had advanced into the waters, making it difficult for other fishermen to save them.

The chief cautioned fishermen against operating in water without proper life-saving gear to avoid more deaths.

Tum said that the search for the bodies had been launched.