In a statement, power generator, Eskom said the boat experienced engine failure and was carried by the river current towards Kiira power station whose spillways were open to release water. A lone boater who attempted to rescue the family was also washed away by the current but got rescued by the UPDF marine.Â
Although the deceased, rescuer Patrick Odoi and her mother, Shakira Kawesa drowned immediately, officers attached to UPDF marine unit managed to rescue her father, Hassan Alwi and brother, Jafalu Alwi.
The Kiira region police spokesperson, Abbey Ngako, says that the body of the deceased was on Tuesday afternoon taken to Jinja regional referral hospital mortuary for postmortem and later on handed over to her family for burial.
Ngako adds that efforts are underway to ensure the missing body of Odoi is retrieved. A source from the Source of River Nile Tourism Site who spoke to us on condition of anonymity said the tragic speed boat had undergone several tests before the accident.
“On receiving the victim’s order, our colleague made several water tests to ascertain the stability of the speed boat on water,” he says.