10 bodies of fishermen retrieved, buried

By FRANCINA PHIRI  –
TEN bodies of the 20 fishermen who drowned after their boats capsized on Lake Bangweulu in Samfya have so far been retrieved.
Bangweulu Member of Parliament Anthony Kasandwe confirmed this in an interview yesterday.
Mr Kasandwe said the search team comprising the Zambia Army Marine Corps and the Zambia Police would continue searching for more bodies today.
Police said on Wednesday that they suspected 20 fishermen had drowned after being caught in a midnight storm on the waters of Lake Bangweulu, but it is now suspected that fewer than the given number may have perished.
Mr Kasandwe said it was believed that the number of the dead could be 15 and expressed the hope that the remaining bodies would be found today.
The retrieved bodies had already been buried.
He said the Government had provided coffins, food, transport and other logistics for the period of the search.
He added that the three survivors that were admitted to Samfya District Hospital have been discharged.
Initial reports of the tragedy said that some 25 fishermen, on five boats, were on their way from Samfya to Njipi Village on a fishing expedition when they were caught up in storm that hit the waters around 01:00 hours on Wednesday.