Tragedy struck on Lake Victoria in Uganda as an overloaded boat capsized, resulting in the loss of at least 20 lives, and leaving five people still missing. The incident occurred at 5 am on Wednesday, with the vessel carrying charcoal, fresh foods, and fish, according to the police.

The cause of the accident has been attributed to overloading and adverse weather conditions. The ill-fated boat was also carrying nine passengers who were fortunate enough to be rescued from the wreckage. Police authorities are currently conducting rescue efforts to locate the missing individuals, and they are urging the public to wear life jackets and avoid overloading their vessels while travelling on waterways.

Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake, is shared by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, boasting a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles), approximately the size of Ireland. Regrettably, this isn’t the first boat disaster to occur on the oval-shaped lake. Overcrowding and unpredictable weather have been recurring factors contributing to such tragedies over the years.

In November 2018, a pleasure boat sank during bad weather, leading to the loss of at least 32 lives. Ugandan police revealed that the vessel was carrying more than 90 revellers at the time of the accident. Another devastating incident took place in September of the same year when the MV Nyerere passenger ferry sank on the Tanzanian side of Lake Victoria, resulting in hundreds of fatalities.