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Kalangala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Menacing crocodiles have hampered the search for the last body of the seven victims who drowned in a boat mishap in Kalangala last week because a stricty observed custom among the fishing community prohibits the burial of some victims until all bodies are retrieved.
Veronica Nakasiita, a resident of Lwanabatya Landing Site says that after the boat accident which claimed four women and three children in Lake Victoria last week, the search for their bodies started immediately.
Six bodies have been so far discovered as the fishermen continue to search for the remaining woman’s body.
But the process of recovering the bodies has been interrupted as crocodiles try to attack the fishermen who try to set of on the search from Lwanabatya landing site.
Crocodiles usually feed on dead bodies and flesh after attacking and killing of fishermen while sailing in danger zones where they breed from. The population of crocodiles around the islands seems to have risen in recent times, and in this particular area, they are seen swimming around freely, scaring fishermen from even going to lay their nets.
Nakasita says crocodiles have been attacking fishermen ever since the accident happened though no one has been ever killed.
Traditionally, when people drown in a group, burial doesn’t take place before discovering all the bodies. So the islanders have resorted to icing the six discovered bodies is they search for the last body.
Sagala Ronald, a relative to one of the deceased says burial for all the dead persons will be in Yumbe and Nebbi Districts where they originate from.
“We are still struggling to retrieve the last body and when its discovered, we will take all the bodies for burial in their home Districts of Yumbe, Nebbi and Masindi.
It is now six days after the boat accident where seven perished as they were sailing to Kasenyi landing site in Entebbe from Lwanabatya Landing Site in Kalangala.
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