The body of Samuel Amanya, a 22-year-old senior four student at Lake Bunyonyi Senior Secondary School, was recovered on Wednesday morning, three days after he drowned in Lake Bunyonyi. Amanya, a resident of Kaberu-Katooma village in Mwendo parish, Kabale district, was a senior four candidate at the school located on Bwama Island. He drowned on Saturday, October 3, at about 11 am.
According to reports, Amanya had paddled a canoe from Katooma village to Itambira Island and arrived safely. However, when he prepared to return, he discovered that the canoe had been moved from where he had left it. He then attempted to swim from Itambira to Bwama Island but drowned in the process. This incident has raised concerns about water safety and the risks associated with swimming in Lake Bunyonyi.
A search operation was launched by Marine Police and residents, but initial efforts to locate Amanya's body were unsuccessful. The search party included community-based organisations involved in sustainable ecotourism and environmental conservation around Lake Bunyonyi. The community had been searching for Amanya since he went missing on Saturday.
Simon Byamukama, a director of Paradise Eco-Hub Foundation, reported that Amanya's body was spotted floating on the lake at about 7:30 am on Wednesday. Byamukama, together with Silas Nomwesigwa, retrieved the body from the lake and transported it to the family home in Katooma village. The body was retrieved with the help of local residents.
Amanya's burial was scheduled for Wednesday, following retrieval of his body. The incident is not the first of its kind at Lake Bunyonyi Senior Secondary School. In August 2023, a senior two student, Martin Izabayo from Kisoro district, drowned in Lake Bunyonyi while attempting to escape from the school. Izabayo and his friend had ventured onto the lake in a canoe without life jackets.
The canoe carrying Izabayo and his friend capsized in the middle of the lake, resulting in Izabayo's death. His friend, Daniel Owamani, was rescued by local divers. The incident highlights the need for water safety awareness and measures to prevent such tragedies in the future. The school and local authorities have been urged to take measures to prevent similar incidents.
Amanya's death has sent shockwaves through the community, and the school has been urged to take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. The incident has also raised concerns about the safety of students and the need for improved water safety measures around Lake Bunyonyi. Authorities have been urged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Key points
- The body of 22-year-old Samuel Amanya was recovered three days after he drowned while attempting to swim across Lake Bunyonyi.
- This incident is the second reported drowning involving a student of Lake Bunyonyi Senior Secondary School, following the death of Martin Izabayo in August 2023.
- The incident has raised concerns about water safety and the risks associated with swimming in Lake Bunyonyi.
