Marine Divers Suspend Search Operations at River Nguse

The Police Marine Unit and Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) marine teams have suspended search operations for victims of the River Nguse boat tragedy in Kagadi District, bringing an end to a two-week recovery mission that followed one of the area’s deadliest water accidents in recent months.

The accident occurred on April 28, 2026, in Kyaleni Cell, Pacwa Town Council, when a canoe carrying passengers and bags of charcoal capsized mid-journey. According to police findings, the vessel had 28 people on board despite being designed to carry only about 15 passengers. Seventeen people survived the incident, while 11 others are believed to have died. During the extensive search operation, marine divers managed to retrieve 10 bodies from the river.

Sulaiman Birungi, the Commandant of the Marine Police, confirmed the suspension of the operation, saying efforts to locate the remaining missing person had been unsuccessful despite sustained searches. He noted that after two weeks of intensive efforts, only one body remains unaccounted for. Birungi added that there is a possibility the missing individual may have survived and fled the area, allegedly out of fear of arrest over suspected illegal activities linked to charcoal burning in Bugoma Forest.

Kagadi Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Caroline Nashemeza commended the rescue teams for their efforts in recovering most of the bodies, describing the operation as challenging but well executed under difficult conditions.

Preliminary investigations indicate that most of the victims were charcoal burners and farmers who were returning from Kikuube District. The group had reportedly been engaged in charcoal production and farming activities before the ill-fated journey. Police further established that the canoe, which had no engine and was being manually propelled using a pole, was dangerously overloaded at the time of the accident.

Following the tragedy, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni contributed UGX 150 million to support the affected families. The funds were delivered by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja during a visit to the scene in Kyaleni Cell, where she met district leaders and bereaved families.