A search and rescue operation is ongoing in Pier beach, Homa Bay county after a boat carrying 16 people capsized in Lake Victoria.
Six people have so far been rescued and rushed to hospital while two are feared dead as a rescue operation for the remaining persons continues.
Confirming the incident, Joshua Ochogo the Homabay town area chief has said that the boat capsized about 400 metres away from Homa Bay Pier.
He said the boat was headed to Nduru island in Mbita Sub-county.
Ochogo said the boat was carrying about 16 people but they have managed to rescue only 6 people.
“We mobilised a number of boats to do the recovery and so far we have rescued 6 who have been rushed to the hospital,” he said.
Ochogo said that there were heavy rains and water hyacinth is giving them hard time to rescue the rest.
He appealed to area residents to check their safety first before boarding a boat claiming that all the passengers who were on board did not have life jackets.
He also said that the boat was overloaded with cement and timber.
“I am appealing with people to put their safety first before boarding any boat,” he said.
A search mission has been launched to save the rest whose fates is still unknown.
