In a tragic incident in Suba North constituency, Homa Bay County, two fishermen lost their lives in Lake Victoria following a dispute over a fish breeding zone.
Enock Opiyo, 25, and Dancan Okoth, 40, both from Uwi Beach, drowned on Tuesday evening during a confrontation with fishermen from Koginga Beach.
According to area chief Charles Ngoe, the trouble began when fishermen from Koginga encroached upon a fish breeding zone in Uwi, where fishing is prohibited. In response, five fishermen from Uwi Beach went out in their patrol boat to stop their counterparts.
The situation escalated when the Uwi fishermen asked their colleagues from Koginga to stop fishing in the breeding zone, but they refused and continued their activities.
During the altercation, the Koginga fishermen hit the Uwi fishermen’s boat, causing it to overturn. While three fishermen were rescued, Opiyo and Okoth tragically lost their lives on the spot.
The search operation to retrieve the bodies of the two fishermen resumed on Wednesday morning.