'I saw many missed calls': Mother mourns teen son who drowned in Lake Naivasha

Two bodies have been retrieved from Lake Naivasha after a fishing boat capsized in strong winds, leaving one fisherman still missing.

The three fishermen drowned on Saturday morning when their small boat overturned several metres from the shore after being hit by turbulent waters.

Naivasha Sub-County Police Commander Wilson Sigei confirmed that the second body was recovered on Sunday evening, while search efforts for the remaining fisherman were still ongoing.

He explained that strong winds and unusually rough waves destabilised their vessel, throwing them overboard.

Fishermen and residents who witnessed the boat struggling against the waves rushed to the scene in an attempt to rescue the victims, but their efforts were hampered by poor visibility and rough waters.

One of the retrieved bodies was identified by family members and preserved at Naivasha Sub-County Hospital pending a postmortem examination and release for burial.

Read: 'I survived': Woman' recalls 16 hours of horror in the Indian Ocean, watching two captains die

One of the victims, according to family members, was a secondary school leaver who was to turn 18 next month. He had ventured into fishing to support his mother and help provide for the family.

Ms Evalyne Naliaka said she received news of the incident at around 4 pm on Saturday, February 21.

“When I checked my phone, I saw many missed calls, which alarmed me. When I returned one of them, I was told that my son Brandon Wekesa, had drowned while fishing in the lake. It was devastating,” she said.

Fishermen at Kamere Beach said the lake experienced unusually strong waves that afternoon, catching many off guard.

Ms Caren Atieno, a fish trader at the beach, said the boat was overwhelmed by turbulent waters.

“We have never seen such waves. They were very strong, reaching beyond the beaches. Some boats collided and were damaged to the extent that they cannot operate,” she said.

Mr Raphael Juma, chairperson of the Kamere Beach Management Unit, said one fisherman survived because he was wearing a life jacket.

“The one who had a life jacket survived and was rescued. That is why we are appealing for more life jackets,” Mr Juma said.

Naivasha Sub-County Fisheries Officer Henry Cheruiyot said the Nakuru County government had previously supplied 600 life jackets to fishermen on the lake.

“It is not true that we did not provide them. Every boat owner was issued with a life jacket,” he said.