Pleasure boat sinks in Lake Victoria, killing 22

Local fishermen collect a body of a victim. Pic/AFP

Twenty-two people have died and more than 60 are feared drowned after a pleasure boat sank on Lake Victoria, Ugandan police said Sunday. The vessel carrying close to a hundred revellers sank during bad weather on Saturday.

"Twenty-two bodies have been recovered and 26 people rescued," said Asuman Mugenyi, director of operations for the Uganda police. "According to one of the survivors there were more than 90 people on board."

The boat, on which party-goers were drinking, dancing and listening to music, sank a short distance from the shore. Mugenyi said overloading and bad weather were likely to blame. "We expect (the number of passengers) is beyond the capacity of the boat," Mugenyi said, adding, "We suspect the mechanical condition of the boat and the weather contributed to the sinking."

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