LAKE ALBERT, Uganda 20 May (ANA) - A boat carrying football players and fans has capsized in Lake Albert in western Uganda, local media reports say.

 

Casualty figures are unclear - the state-owned New Vision newspaper reports that three people have been confirmed dead, including a female goalkeeper, and more than 20 are missing, while the privately-owned Daily Monitor reports that 30 people are feared dead after the Sunday afternoon incident.

 

The passengers were travelling from Fofo in Hoima district to neighbouring Runga to play friendly matches for men and women when the engine-powered boat capsized.

 

The Daily Monitor quoted Sadic Nyangireki, a parish youth chairman and a businessman at Fofo, as saying the accident could have been caused by overloading and a strong wind that blew shortly after the boat left the landing site.

 

New Vision says about 25 people from Fofo were rescued, many of them fishermen, and rescue operations are continuing.

 

In 2016, about 30 footballers and fans drowned when their boat capsized on Lake Victoria.(ANA)

FA/ANA/20 May 2019---------