Postmortem results on the 10 victims of Lake Victoria boat tragedy at Pier Beach in Homa Bay revealed that water filled their lungs.
Homa Bay Referral Hospital medics and local pathologists who conducted the postmortem said water clogged their lungs and causing suffocation.
Hospital CEO Peter Ogolla said their death was due to insufficient oxygen after water occupied the place of oxygen. He said asphyxiation was the main cause of death for the 10.
“Water infiltrated the lungs through asphyxiation process and caused their death,” Ogolla said.
The ten died after a motorboat with 18 people onboard capsized in the lake on Tuesday, last week.
The incident occurred 500 metres from Pier Beach after the boat had set sail for Ndhuru Beach in Suba North. Eight people were rescued.
Most of the bereaved families accepted the results and said they were ready for burial.
Homa Bay government and some MPs from the county had agreed to support them bury their loved ones.
Deputy Governor Hamilton Orata and MPs Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), Gladys Wanga (woman representative) and Eve Obara (Kabondo Kasipul) contributed funds to assist the affected families.
Some of the deceased include Peninah Auma, Caroline Auma, Stephen Juma, John Otieno, Jacob Ombok and Rose Akinyi.
Homa Bay county disaster management director Eliud Onyango said a requiem mass would be conducted for the deceased on Tuesday.
Some of the burial expenses include buying coffins and paying for transportation.
“A prayer service will be conducted at Jua Kali grounds after which the bodies will be ferried to their respective homes,” Onyango said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
