Media personality feared dead in boating accident
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday November 4, 2014 07:00
Botswana Defence Force (BDF) scuba divers will resume the search today after calling it off yesterday at 4pm.
About 300 people, including local fishermen, gathered on the banks of Lake Ngami yesterday as the scuba divers continued their search for the last missing passenger from the boat. The police have confirmed that a fibreglass canoe with three men capsized in inclement weather on Sunday afternoon. The BDF, with assistance from local fishermen, recovered the body of a 44-year-old man on Sunday and a 42-year-old man yesterday.
Segaetsho is understood to be the man recovered yesterday, while the other victim, said to be a friend of his and an employee of Debswana, was the first to be retrieved. The third man in the ill-fated vessel is said to have been a local fisherman from Ghani settlement near Shakawe, whom locals say is renowned for his experience and skill in handling canoes.
“We received a report about the accident at 1600hrs on Sunday and the cause is not yet known,” said Sehitwa Police Station Commander, Zakes Masike.
“The two men had engaged a fisherman, who owned the boat, to take them through the lake.”
Masike said Sunday’s tragedy was the fifth drowning accident recorded at the lake this year, following other instances in which four people lost their lives.
Officer Commanding Maun Police District, Chabaesele Kesupetswe, said the identities of the deceased could not be released to the public as yet. “We are still investigating and the next of kin is yet to be informed about the death of the two men,” he said.
“The boat the three men were using is believed to have capsized as a result of strong waves influenced by windy weather. We appeal to those using boats in the lake to always consider weather conditions before they use their boats.” Kesupetswe added that preliminary findings are that the vessel was not equipped with life jackets.
The United States Embassy in Botswana, where Segaetsho worked as an information specialist, issued a brief statement on the incident saying that one of its employees was involved in the accident.
“I can confirm that a US Embassy employee was involved in the accident on Sunday and the authorities are conducting an investigation,” acting public affairs officer, Sophia Odonnell said in the statement.
“We cannot comment further because it is an ongoing investigation and we would also want to protect the privacy of the family. That is the extent of the message,” she added.
Mmegi is informed that the Embassy later issued an internal notice informing employees of Segaetsho’s death.