By Omony Denis
An engineer with the Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA) has been confirmed dead after a marine boat on a rescue mission capsized on the flooded Pakwach-Owliyo road section in Got Apwoyo sub-county, Nwoya District.
The deceased has been identified as Yahaya Hussan, aged 45, attached to Pakwach UNRA’s marines. He was one of the occupants of the boats that were on a rescue mission for 12 passengers of a commuter taxi Reg. No. UBH 418W belonging to Elite Nile Transporters that got swept by flood water from River Tangi.
Two boats had been dispatched by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to rescue occupants of the taxi following the floods that cut off the Olwiyo-Pakwach highway Wednesday afternoon after River Tangi Burts its bank.
Maj Peter Mugisa, the Fourth Infantry Division Public Relations Officer told Mega Fm that one of the boats capsized in the water killing Yahaya. He says 12 passengers from the Taxi had also been retrieved during the rescue mission.
They include Badaru Comfort, Apio Modesta, Ogwang Jasper, Okello Muhammed (Driver), Akong Gloria, Yasin Kemisalah, Achen Lona, Ajedra Juliet, Akello Gift, Akongo Vivian, Ssekyewa Deziderio and Stella Kakabuye. The trapped taxi was also successful removed and brought to dry land and UNRA accordingly urged travelers to stay away of the flooded areas by using alternative routes in situations of flooding across the road network.
