Water bus with 20 capsizes in Siaya, everybody rescued
Rescue teams save passengers aboard the Usenge/Mageta Water Bus that capsized between Usenge beach and Mageta island near Sirigombe island on May 2, 2020. PHOTO | DICKENS WASONGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Jacob Owaki, a coxswain who was navigating a commercial motorboat with eight passengers from Usenge beach, led rescue efforts following the 5pm incident.
- Among his passengers was Mageta island Chief Ambrose Ogema who said they later heard a loud explosion and then came a huge cloud of blinding smoke.
- The coxswain said that as they tried to help the victims onto his boat, another boat with fishermen arrived so they received help.
A water bus with 20 passengers capsized between Usenge beach and Mageta island in Siaya County on Saturday evening due to strong waves.
Mr Jacob Owaki, a coxswain who was navigating a commercial motorboat with eight passengers from Usenge beach, led rescue efforts following the 5pm incident.
Speaking to the Nation on phone, Mr Owaki said he left Usenge at around 4.30pm and spotted the vessel christened Usenge/Mageta Water Bus a few meters ahead near the uninhabited Sirigombe island in Bondo.
Among his passengers was Mageta island Chief Ambrose Ogema who said they later heard a loud explosion and then came a huge cloud of blinding smoke.
"We saw the water bus tilt to one side before it started to sink," the chief said.
LIFE JACKETS
Within seconds, according to the chief, panicked and confused passengers began to disembark.
"Most of them had put on life jackets. We believe it was for that reason that they managed to swim as we moved in to save their lives," he said.
The coxswain said that as they tried to help the victims onto his boat, another boat with fishermen arrived.
"It was also the combined effort that saved the lives of the 20 passengers," he said.
The chief said all the travellers were rescued and taken to Kabarua beach and then to Mageta dispensary for medical checks.
LAST TRIP
Reports indicated that the water bus left Usenge earlier without passengers but couldn't dock at Mahanga beach due to the strong waves.
Its captain decided to dock at Kabarua beach at around 3pm and picked up passengers for a last trip to Usenge.
"It was on its last trip to Usenge beach that it capsized,"said Moses Oulo a resident of Kabarua beach.
Bondo Deputy County Commissioner Tom Macheneri and Siaya County Police Commander Francis Kooli told the Nation that a multi-agency security team in two speed boats was dispatched to the accident scene.
They said the team confirmed that there were no casualties.
"The information we have so far indicates that all the passengers were rescued," said Mr Macheneri.
