For James Busoma, an elderly resident of Namuni Landing Site in Mayuge District, the memory of a boat accident that killed 70 people on Lake Victoria in 2008 remains a painful reminder of the dangers faced by fishing communities.
The boats collided at night, leaving passengers struggling in the water without life jackets. By the time Busoma reached the scene, bodies were floating on the lake, while others had been brought ashore.
Nearly two decades later, the tragedy continues to inform his views on water safety, particularly the importance of wearing life jackets, avoiding overloading boats and taking precautions before venturing onto the lake.
Busoma, who has lived at Namuni Landing Site since 1987 and served as its officer in charge, recounted the incident during a field sensitisation exercise on drowning prevention in Mayuge District under Reach A Hand Africa's campaign, Omanyi Okuwugua.
“I remember one particular incident in 2008 very well. It happened at night. There were two boats on the lake, and both were heavily loaded. Somehow, the two boats collided in the middle of the water. The people on those boats did not have life jackets,” he said.
“When I got to the scene, it was already very bad. I saw bodies floating on the water. Some had been brought to the shore.”
Busoma said 70 people drowned in the incident, leaving a lasting impression on those who witnessed the aftermath and the families who lost their loved ones.
“You can imagine seeing people who had gone onto the lake alive and expecting to return home, then seeing their bodies being brought back,” he said.
How the tragedy changed attitudes towards life jackets
Beyond the immediate loss of life, the accident changed how some members of the fishing community viewed safety equipment.
Busoma recalled an elderly fisherman who had dismissed life jackets as something for wealthy people or those seeking attention.
“At that time, there was an elder who used to say that life jackets were for ‘show-offs and rich people’,” he said.
The fisherman believed his years of experience on the lake were sufficient protection and saw little reason to wear a life jacket.
However, witnessing the aftermath of the accident forced him to reconsider that position.
“But after that incident, his thinking changed. When he saw all those bodies floating in the water and others lying on the shore, he understood that the life jacket was not about showing off. It was not about being rich. It was about protecting your life,” Busoma said.
The experience demonstrated how attitudes towards safety can change after a tragedy, although Busoma's account also highlights the need to encourage preventive measures before accidents occur.
Fear that kept another fisherman ashore
The accident also affected fishermen who were preparing to go onto the lake that night.
Busoma recalled another fisherman who abandoned his plans after learning what had happened. The incident left him questioning whether he would have suffered the same fate had he gone out.
“He remained on the shore. The incident had frightened him so much that he started asking himself questions. He was thinking, what if it had been me? What if I had gone onto the lake and the same thing happened?” Busoma recounted.
The fisherman was also concerned about the consequences for his family if he failed to return home.
For Busoma, such reactions illustrate how drowning affects not only those who die but also survivors, relatives and entire communities whose livelihoods depend on the lake.
“For those of us who live and work around the lake, water is part of life,” he said.
That dependence makes safety measures particularly important, as fishing communities continue to rely on water transport for their daily activities and livelihoods.
Experience alone cannot prevent drowning
Busoma said one of the major lessons from the 2008 incident was that familiarity with the lake should never be mistaken for immunity from danger.
He noted that fishermen who have spent many years on the water may become accustomed to its conditions, potentially leading some to underestimate the risks they face.
“An accident does not first ask whether you are experienced. That night, two boats collided,” he said.
He urged people using the lake to wear life jackets, avoid overloading boats and assess weather and water conditions before departure.
He also emphasised the importance of knowing how to respond when someone falls into the water, noting that emergency preparedness is often overlooked until a crisis occurs.
“You also have to think about how much you are putting on a boat. You have to look at the weather and the condition of the water before going out,” he said.
His account reinforces the importance of combining personal protective equipment with responsible loading practices, weather awareness and knowledge of appropriate emergency responses.
The drowning victims whose stories go untold
While some water accidents attract national attention because of the number or prominence of the people involved, Busoma said many drowning incidents receive little recognition beyond the affected communities.
He cited cases in which fishermen fail to return from the lake, leaving families to deal with the loss without the wider public necessarily learning about their experiences.
There are accidents that become big news because special people are involved. The country hears about them. The media comes, people talk about them, and there are rescue efforts,” he said.
But some people drown, and nobody outside their community hears about it. A fisherman may go onto the lake and fail to come back. His family knows what happened, but after some time, the story disappears.”
Busoma's reflections highlight the need to recognise drowning as a continuing safety concern for fishing communities, regardless of whether an incident attracts national headlines.
He said the loss of a single fisherman can have profound consequences for a family that depends on that person's income and support.
For those families, losing one person is already a big tragedy. It does not have to be 70 people for the loss to matter,” he said.
The 2008 accident remains a defining memory for Busoma, not simply because of the number of people who died, but because of the lives, families and futures lost in a single night.
When I think about what happened in 2008, I do not only remember the number 70. I remember that those were people who went onto the lake expecting to come back,” he said.
His testimony, shared through Reach A Hand Africa's Omanyi Okuwugua drowning prevention campaign, serves as a reminder that water safety measures are not optional precautions but essential safeguards for people whose lives and livelihoods are tied to the lake.