By Kampala Post Reporter
Two officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment have drowned after a canoe they were sailing in capsized in River Aswa , Angagura Sub County, Pader District.
The incident happened on Monday afternoon when the ministry officials had visited Achwa Hydropower station to carry out routine water level tests at around 2pm. The deceased have been identified as Mr Joseph Wafula, a consultant, and Mr Charles Komakech a Kenyan national who is said to have been hired by the Water ministry.
Pader Resident District Commissioner Dusman Okee, confirmed the incident on Monday. He said bodies were still missing at the time, and efforts were being made to contact police divers to search for the bodies.
This Website could not readily reach the RDC for an update on the incident, which occurred just hours after police announced they were rolling out a program to offer free lifesaver and swimming lessons to interested members of the public.
Deputy Police Spokesperson Polly Namaye said on Monday, the swimming lessons will run from 9th-19th December, 2019 at Nameless Beach in Entebbe. She said the free swimming lessons are part of activities to commemorate last year’s boat accident in Lake Victoria in which over 30 people drowned.
It was said then that most of those that drowned did not know how to swim.
Meanwhile two locals who were on the canoe with the ministry officials survived after they swam to safety. The two are; Douglas Omona, a resident of Angagura trading centre and Simon Otinga a resident of Atanga Sub County.
