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NAIROBI, Jan 1 (NNN-KBC) — A boat capsized in Lake Victoria, Busia County, Saturday evening, with a number of university students on board who had earlier attended a religious activity.
Authorities have since confirmed that three students, from the University of Nairobi, lost their lives in the tragedy, while four others were rescued from the sinking vessel.
According to Bunyala Police Boss, Isaiah Mose, the students were having fun, taking boat rides as they planned to welcome the new year. At the time of the tragedy, Mose confirmed the students were taking selfies.
Reports indicate two bodies have been retrieved from the lake even as search for a third continues.
Efforts by Kenya Coast Guards to retrieve the other body had not borne fruits by the time the rescue team was forced to call off the exercise due to darkness. The search resumed Sunday morning.
“Our Officers were unable to continue with the exercise last evening due to bad weather and darkness. We have called on a multi-agency team to join the local and Kenya Coast Guard in the search,” noted the police boss
Mose confirmed that the seven students were on an evangelical mission in Budalang’i. He disclosed that the learners had successfully attended a crusade which was capped with a baptism event led by the Seventh Day Adventist church.
“After completing their mission, they went to the Lake Victoria waters to take photos. In the process, one of them attempted to take a selfie while standing on the boat, making it unstable. That is how the boat capsized.” he said
He said the ill-fated boat has capacity of three passengers but students had overloaded it, resulting to the calamity. — NNN-KBC
