Maravi

Police intensify search for bodies in Chithawe dam

Police intensify search for bodies in Chithawe dam
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
Friday, July 03, 2009 3:14:13 PM

POLICE and the water affairs department in Katete district on Wednesday intensified the search for two fishermen who drowned in Chithawe dam on Tuesday morning.
And most of the pupils from Kafumbwe Boarding School in Katete that were involved in a road traffic accident last Saturday have been discharged from St Francis Mission hospital.

In an interview, Katete district commissioner Eleman Mwanza said by 16:00 hours on Wednesday, police and an officer from the water affairs department had not yet retrieved the bodies of the two men.

“I got information today (Wednesday) that the two, Raphael Banda and Aliyoti Phiri, drowned when their wooden boat capsized in the early hours yesterday (Tuesday),” Mwanza said.

He said Banda was from Chirika village while Phiri was from Manthowa village in Chief Kawaza’s area.

“We have sent an officer from water affairs to work with the police in trying to retrieve the bodies of the deceased but up to now as I’m talking to you the bodies have not yet been recovered,” Mwanza said.

A source from Sinda said the accident occurred around 06:30 hours on Tuesday and but police failed to retrieve the bodies the same day.

By yesterday morning, the two bodies had still not been retrieved.

And Mwanza said only two pupils from the Kafumbwe school truck accident were still admitted at St Francis by Wednesday afternoon.

He said most of the pupils who were admitted at the hospital were attended to and discharged.

“There were 32 boys, 28 girls and 4 members of staff on this truck which was coming from Katete Boarding School for NATAAZ festivals. I’m told around 20:00 hours when they were just about to reach their school, the truck failed to negotiate a corner and overturned, so a number of the people on the truck were admitted,” he said.

Mwanza said it was sad that the district recorded two accidents within a short period of time.

Labels: DAMS, KATETE

posted by MrK @ 2:15 PM