Death toll rises to 30 in Uganda boat accident

Many people are still missing as the death toll from a boat accident on Lake Victoria in Uganda on Saturday has risen to 30, a police spokesperson said Sunday.

Patrick Onyango, Uganda's deputy police spokesperson, told Xinhua by telephone that joint police and military marine teams, together with local divers, have rescued 27 people.

Two boats capsized and completely submerged in the deep waters on Lake Victoria in the central Ugandan district of Mukono.

"Our teams are still trying to either retrieve dead bodies or rescue some people alive. But the hopes for people still alive is dwindling," said Onyango.

"Many more people are missing. We fear for the worst. We believe many of them have died. The boat reportedly had about 84 people on board who had gone for weekend partying," he said.

The boat reportedly carried more than 120 weekend revelers, beyond its capacity of 100 from Port bell Luzira in the capital Kampala headed to Mutima Island on Lake Victoria, according to a local media report.

The report added that a second local boat, which went for rescue mission also capsized and submerged due to overloading.

The spokesperson said the deceased bodies have been taken to Mulago National Referral Hospital and City Mortuary for postmortem.

Some of the deceased bodies have been handed to the wailing relatives at the two mortuaries for burial, according to the police.

Onyango said that the police have launched investigations into the cause of the deadly incident highly suspected on overloading, strong winds and possibly mechanical problem.