Homa Bay boat tragedy: Death toll hits seven
A woman weeps at Homa Bay Town pier on September 21,2021 after the boat accident.
The death toll after a boat capsized in the waters of Lake Victoria hit seven on Wednesday as authorities cited bad weather as the likely cause of the tragedy.
Four people are still not accounted for following the Tuesday accident in Homa Bay County.
Five more bodies were retrieved on Wednesday in a joint rescue effort coordinated by the Kenya Coast Guard Service, Kenya Red Cross, Kenya Maritime Authority and the Beach Management Unit.
Two bodies were retrieved on Tuesday.
Homa Bay town residents gather at the scene where a boat carrying 19 people capsized on September 21, 2021.
Eight people were injured, with two still hospitalised while another two received first aid and were released to go home.
But even as authorities fingered bad weather for the accident, survivors revealed that they had expressed concern about overloading of the boat just before it set sail across the lake.
It has been confirmed that 19 people were aboard the ill-fated boat.
County Disaster Management officer Eluid Onyango said that from interaction with the coxswain, the journey had encountered bad weather.
"It is very difficult to determine the cause of the boat accident. The boat was sea worthy and with the bad weather, water started seeping into the boat," said Mr Onyango.
“The commotion and panic made the boat capsize," he added.
Fishermen at Koginga beach in Homa Bay town search for survivors of the boat accident on September 21, 2021.
He, however, ruled out overloading of passengers and items as claimed by survivors and residents.
"If the boat had overloaded it would have sunk in the waters without them noticing," said the County Disaster Management officer.
Rescue efforts are still ongoing to locate the remaining four people.
Rescuers carry a body retrieved after a boat capsized with 19 people on board in this photo taken on September 22, 2021 at Homa Bay pier.
Search and rescue mission ongoing at Homa Bay Pier on September 22, 2021.
Search for possible survivors in the Tuesday evening boat tragedy in Lake Victoria is ongoing.
Laxity
Kenya Maritime Authority Kisumu regional branch inspector, Jeremiah Onyango, has blamed boat operators for laxity regarding use of life jackets.
"This is the gospel we have sang as KMA since time immemorial. Passengers should put on life jackets while on water vessels," he said.
Mr Onyango also noted that boat crews tend to take trainings on vessel safety for granted.
"Just two weeks after they are trained, they operate them without lifesaving jackets. As KMA we have not relaxed in ensuring marine safety and reducing boat incidents on the lake," he added.
Several lake tragedies
Homa Bay County has been hit by many water tragedies, with the worst being one that happened in 1995 that claimed 105 lives.
According to Mr Onyango, the boat capsized due to overloading and bad weather.
In the Western region, Homa Bay County leads in marine accidents.
Last year in November, 10 people drowned after the boat they were travelling in capsized near Honge Beach in Bondo, Siaya County.
The 20-passenger boat was transporting maize and bananas from Uganda to Usenge, Siaya County.
In 2019, KMA barred 500 marine vessels from operating at Kisumu's Winam Gulf for failure to comply with maritime regulations.
Majority of marine vessels have not met the safety requirements and have been rendered unseaworthy.
Maritime accidents on Kenyan waters progressively increased in the past ten years, with a majority of them being caused by human error.
According to KMA, 50 per cent of accidents involve capsizing vessels, while 40 per cent are drowning cases related to unseaworthy vessels.
“For the past 10 years we have recorded about 242 deaths and 330 survivors of marine accidents at the lake. Although the number might be more considering there are many unreported cases,” he said.
In 2019, five ferries and two motorboats belonging to Mbita Ferry Services were suspended over poor safety standards during a crackdown exercise in Homa Bay.
