For many November 24, 2018 will always be a dark day, what was supposed to be a merry Saturday turned into a mourning day as over 30 lives were lost when MV Templar capsized.
As the jolted Ugandans have finally got over the balance the boat phrase, the state Minister for Works and Transportation Hon. Peter Lokeris has today presented a report to the August House on the fatal boat accident involving MV Templar.
Following the accident,the Ministry of Works and Transport conducted an investigation into the incident that involved the unregistered private vessel that belonged to the deceased Templar Bisase and when questioned on why the delay to submit the findings of the report which they claim to have concluded on February 8,2019, the Ministry stated in the report that it was aware about the delay but waited for an appropriate moment to present an update.
According to Hon. Lokeris, the MV Templar modifications were done without taking into account any quality ,safety,stability or good seamanship practice that caused the vessel’s stability and buoyancy to be compromised in that when the water started to ingress through the hulls holding spaces, it caused the vessel to sink fast.
MV Templar that was carrying over 100 people set off at Mutima Beach in Mukono District for K-Palm beach only to capsize on the way, killing over 30 people.
A joint team of the Ministry of Transport, UPDF Soldiers ,police marines and the locals recovered over 33 bodies from Lake Victoria while 27 people were rescued.
When the boat wreckage was pulled out of the water, the bottom of the boat had two holes that were covered by concrete in an attempt to prevent the vessel from leaking.