Petrol containers save 29 from drowning in Lake Victoria

Mwanza. Twenty-nine people have narrowly escaped death after their canoe capsized in Lake Victoria, with survivors crediting petrol containers for keeping them afloat.

Mwanza Regional Police Commander, Mr Wilbroad Mutafungwa, confirmed to the press on September 26, 2024, the accident which occurred the previous evening.

He said the boat, which had set off from Kirumba landing site in Mwanza, heading to Goziba Island in Muleba District, Kagera Region, was carrying 31 passengers, cargo, and 58 petrol containers, each with a capacity of 270 liters.

According to him, 29 people were rescued, one person died, and one individual is still missing as efforts to locate the missing person are ongoing.

The accident occurred on September 25, 2024, at around 17:00 hours, when a canoe registered as TMZ 012212, owned by Amoni Lutabanzibwa (MV SEA FALCON), struck a rock at Bwiru area and capsized, with passengers and cargo onboard.

“Of the 31 people on board, 29 were rescued alive. One individual identified as Kharidi Rajabu (6), a standard one pupil at Goziba Primary School, was recovered, while the search continues for another missing person,” said Mr Mutafungwa.

He added that the survivors were found floating in the water, clutching petrol containers, while others attempted to swim to safety. They were brought ashore, given first aid, and transferred to Sekou-Ture Regional Hospital for further treatment.

Survivors described the harrowing moments when they realised the canoe was sinking.

One of the survivors, Ms Lucia Kabagwa, recounted how they were forced to dump petrol from the containers to use them as flotation devices.

“When the boat began to take on water, we asked to turn back, but the crew told us to hold on, hoping that the situation would stabilise. Suddenly, the canoe burst, and water flooded in. The crew was overwhelmed, and we had no choice but to try to save ourselves,” said Ms Kabagwa.

“We screamed for help and came up with the idea to empty the petrol containers. Holding onto them is what kept us afloat until small fishing boats arrived to rescue us,” she added.

A fish trader from Dar es Salaam, Mr Noris Mwene (38), shared how he called his relatives and colleagues, asking for prayers as the boat was sinking.

“My brother-in-law, an experienced fisherman, advised me to grab a petrol container, empty it, and use it to stay afloat. I called my relatives in Dar es Salaam and my colleagues in Makambako, asking them to pray for us. Before I finished speaking, the boat had fully submerged,” he recounted.

Unfortunately, Mwene’s brother-in-law, who was the first to grab a container, remains missing.

Mr Mwene also spoke about how their belongings were stolen during the rescue.

“One of the first fishing boats arrived and took our bags and other valuables but didn’t offer any help. We were eventually rescued by smaller fishing boats,” he said.

Mr Mwene, who was the first to be rescued, was saved at around 9:30PM, he remembered, adding that others were rescued between 10:30 and 11:00PM.

Mr Mwene claims to have lost Sh8 million which he had intended to use for buying fish, while another woman lost Sh11 million when her bag became too heavy to carry.

Another survivor, Mr Jackson Joseph, appealed to the government and well-wishers for assistance.

“We’ve lost everything, including clothes, after the accident. Some engine-powered boats arrived but instead of rescuing us, they took our bags. We ask the government and other stakeholders to help us,” he said.

Fishermen from the Butuja landing site in Ilemela Municipality narrated how they rescued the victims. One of the fishermen, Mr Maiko Magange, said they rushed to the scene in a small boat after hearing cries for help.

“Because our boat was small, we could only rescue two people at a time. By the end of the day, we had rescued about ten people. The police had arrived by then, and other fishermen were also helping,” he explained.

Another fisherman, Mr Hashim Hamad, said many fishermen were hesitant to help due to a lack of rescue training. He called on the government to provide fishermen with training on how to respond to such emergencies.

Sekou-Ture Regional Hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr Bahati Msaki, reported that 14 of the 28 survivors admitted to the hospital, were discharged after treatment for minor injuries. The remaining 14 were still receiving care, though their conditions were stable.