Five more bodies have been retrieved from River Nguse on the third day of search operations following Monday’s boat accident. The bodies were recovered today, Friday, by divers from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Uganda Police Force (UPF). This brings the total number of bodies retrieved to nine, after four others were recovered on Thursday. The victims are part of more than 20 people feared dead after a locally made canoe in which they were travelling capsized on the river. The accident occurred on Tuesday evening at about 8:30 p.m. at Kyaleni cell in Pacwa town council, Kagadi district. Eight people are reported to have survived. Search operations were launched immediately after the tragedy, with UPDF and police marine teams combing the river for survivors and the bodies of missing passengers. Julius Hakiza, Albertine region police spokesperson, said the search would continue until all missing persons are accounted for. He appealed to relatives to remain calm and cooperate with authorities. Preliminary reports indicate that the canoe, carrying more than 30 passengers and several bags of charcoal, capsized while crossing River Nguse. The passengers were travelling from Kikuube district to Pacwa town council in Kagadi district when the incident occurred. Police preliminary findings point to overloading as the likely cause. Eric Musana, the Buyaga East member of parliament, has appealed to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to extend support to the bereaved families, describing the incident as a disaster. Yosia Ndibwami, Kagadi LC V chairperson, said the district is compiling a list of affected persons for proper documentation, adding that his office has notified the government. The victims are believed to have been mainly charcoal burners and farmers returning from Kikuube district, where they had crossed for charcoal burning and farming activities.The post R. Nguse boat accident: Five more bodies retrieved appeared first on The Observer.