The search for the body of a fisherman who was killed after a hippopotamus attacked and capsized his canoe on Lake Albert has been suspended after a week-long operation failed to recover his remains. Marine Police divers, working alongside the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), called off the search after unsuccessfully combing the waters near Wanseko Landing Site in Wanseko Town Council, Buliisa District.
The deceased has been identified as Bedjo Onega, 38, a resident of Waisoke Landing Site in Butiaba Sub-county. He drowned last Monday when a hippopotamus reportedly rammed the canoe he was travelling in during a routine fishing expedition. His colleague, Rajab Bedijo, survived the attack by swimming to safety after the canoe overturned.
According to eyewitnesses, the two fishermen cried out for help after the attack, but fellow fishermen were too far away to reach Onega before he disappeared beneath the water. Albertine Region Police spokesperson Julius Hakiza said the search had yielded no results despite a week of operations involving Marine Police divers and UWA personnel.
Hakiza said authorities suspect the body may have been carried away or scavenged by crocodiles in the lake, making recovery difficult. He urged fishermen to avoid areas known to be breeding grounds for hippopotamuses, warning that the animals are highly territorial and can become aggressive when disturbed. The latest tragedy adds to a growing number of fatal human-wildlife encounters on Lake Albert.
In June 2021, two fishermen from Bugoma-Kinya Landing Site in Kyangwali Sub-county died after a hippopotamus overturned their boat. In December 2022, Emmanuel Omirambe drowned following a similar attack in Kabwoya Sub-county, Kikuube District.
In September 2023, another fisherman, identified as Zawadi, was killed by a hippopotamus while checking his fishing nets near Nsonga Landing Site in Kyangwali Sub-county. His body was later recovered floating on the lake by fellow fishermen-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
