Seven dead as boat capsizes on Lake Victoria: Kenya official

Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | Seven bodies have been retrieved after a boat capsized on Lake Victoria, a Kenyan regional government official confirmed on Thursday.

Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan said the seven bodies were retrieved from the lake after the accident on Tuesday. Four people are still missing.

A total of 19 passengers were on board from Homa Bay Pier Beach to Ndhuru Beach in Suba North constituency before the boat capsized just about 400 meters from the landing site. Eight passengers were rescued and hospitalized at the county health referral facility.

Lilan said the boat was overloaded with passengers and luggage like bags of cement, timber, pieces of iron sheets and foodstuff beyond its recommended capacity, which might have caused the accident.

But the boat coxswain Felix Ouma, who survived the unfortunate incident, claimed bad weather and water hyacinth were the main factors leading to the accident.

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Xinhua