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A boat used by fishermen in Lake Victoria during a past event (James Omoro, Standard).
Grief has gripped fishermen in Homa Bay County after one of them drowned and died while peeing from a moving boat in Lake Victoria.
The fisherman identified as Charles Opondo drowned in the Lake on Tuesday evening during a fishing expedition.
Opondo, attached to Litare Beach in Mbita Sub-County, was involved in an accident when he was in the company of his fellow fishermen.
According to the Assistant Chief of Kamasengre West Sub-location Meshack Wachianga, fishermen reported to his office that Odongo was standing in the moving boat to respond to a short nature call.
But he lost balance and fell into the water before his body disappeared.
“Fishermen have reported that Odongo stood in the boat and began peeing in the lake without informing the coxswain to slow down. He eventually fell into the lake before his body sank and disappeared,” Wachianga said.
The administrator urged fishermen to put on life jackets to prevent deaths in case of such an accident.
“Suppose he wore a life jacket, his body would have floated for some time. This would have enabled his colleagues to rescue him,” Wachianga said.
He urged fishermen to embrace communication when they are travelling in a boat.
“Fishermen should communicate to one another so that one is able to tell a coxswain to slow down or stop the boat when they are pressed in any way,” he added.
Litare Beach Management Unit Chairman Isaiah Pero appealed to residents and well-wishers to intervene with humanitarian aid and help them look for Odongo’s body.
He said they had begun looking for the body.
“I appeal to well-wishers to help us look for the body of our colleague,” Pero said.
Odongo is a resident of South Kanyamkago Sub-location, Uriri Sub-county in Migori County. He used to reside at Litare beach where he has been fishing.
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