Moshi. Grief has engulfed Chemchem Village in Arusha Chini Ward, Moshi District, after five members of the same family, including two women and three children, drowned when the boat they were travelling in capsized in Nyumba ya Mungu Dam.
The tragedy occurred at about midday on Thursday, July 23, 2026, as members of the Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) Church in Chemchem were travelling to Mikocheni Ndogo to attend a women's conference.
The deceased were two sisters and three children belonging to one of them—two girls and a boy.
One child from the same family survived, along with six other passengers.
Some of the survivors were taken to TPC Hospital for treatment.
Kilimanjaro Regional Acting Fire and Rescue Commander Jeremia Mkomagi confirmed the accident, saying five bodies had been recovered from the dam and handed over to police as investigations continue.
"We have recovered five bodies from the dam and handed them over to the police for further procedures," he said.
Investigations are underway to establish the exact cause of the accident and identify all those who died or were injured," added Mr Mkomagi.
He said investigators were examining whether the boat was carrying passengers beyond its capacity or whether other factors contributed to the tragedy.
Authorities are also investigating the circumstances surrounding the boat operator.
Arusha Chini Ward councillor, Mr Leonard Waziri said the church members had travelled from Chemchem Village and had the option of using the road or crossing the dam by boat but chose the water route.
"Five passengers lost their lives while seven were rescued. What exactly happened during the journey will become clearer through accounts from the survivors," he said.
Chemchem Village chairman, Mr Alex Mgaya said strong winds whipped up waves that entered the boat, causing it to capsize.
"In the accident, two women and three children died instantly. The survivors were taken to TPC Hospital, where two have since been discharged while one remains under treatment," he said.
TAG Chemchem pastor Silvanus Haule said the group had set off after a morning church service to attend the women's conference at another TAG church in Mikocheni Ndogo.
He said they had initially been advised to walk to the official crossing point before boarding a boat, but a local resident offered to ferry them directly to Mikocheni Kubwa.
According to the pastor, some passengers later requested the boat operator to continue to nearby Mikocheni Ndogo, where the conference was being held.
As the boat approached its destination, strong winds generated waves that began filling it with water before it overturned.
"After the strong waves struck, the boat operator told everyone to hold on to the boat while he swam to shore to seek help. Before rescuers arrived, the two women and the three children had already let go of the boat and drowned," Mr Haule said.
He said all five victims belonged to the same family, with the two women being sisters and the three children belonging to one of them.
Most of the survivors have since returned home after receiving treatment, while one person remains admitted to TPC Hospital complaining of headaches caused by the shock of the accident.
Police, working with the Fire and Rescue Force, are continuing investigations into the incident.
The bodies of the deceased have been taken to Mawenzi Regional Referral Hospital, where they are being held pending completion of police procedures before being released to relatives for burial.
