KAMPALA

Ugandan police on Monday recovered nine bodies -- and rescued 32 people -- after a boat capsized in Lake Albert yesterday.

On Sunday evening, a boat carrying dozens of passengers capsized on Lake Albert -- Africa’s seventh-largest body of water -- only minutes after taking off from a landing stage.

Police spokesman Fred Enanga told Anadolu Agency that at least 18 people still remain unaccounted for.

“We have so far recovered nine bodies and rescued 32 people,” he said. “We’re still searching for more bodies.”

“None of the passengers were wearing life jackets,” he added, “and the boat appears to have been dangerously overloaded.”

According to Siraji Bedijo, a local official, the boat capsized roughly 80 meters from the lake’s Fofo landing stage.

John Kapo, a survivor, said passengers had panicked and rushed to one side of the boat after a storm hit, causing the vessel to capsize.