A 52-year-old fisherman of Mohembo East recently drowned in the Okavango River at Kajaja village following a hippo attack.
According to the Police District No 17 Officer Commanding Senior Superintendent Victor Nlebesi, they received a report in the early hours of the morning from another fisherman to the effect that one of them had drowned in the river and could not be found. He said the tragedy occurred while the deceased together with his friends were out fishing, where they suddenly got attacked by a hippo.
Nlebesi noted that the hippo reportedly drove the deceased deep into the water while others managed to swim to shore. It is said that the deceased could however not swim his way out and ended up drowning.
The police scuba divers are said to have rushed to the scene where they immediately conducted a search for the deceased. Assisted by the villagers, the search team was later after two hours of searching able to locate the body of the deceased few meters from where the incident occurred. Nlebesi said that the deceased’s body was taken to JP Kavindama Hospital where the 52-year-old man of Tani Ward in Mohembo East was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Narrating the incident, Maikgantsho Dikoro who was accompanying the deceased said everything happened so fast and there was so much confusion when the incident occurred. Dikoro said he remembers seeing a hippo between them and they immediately tried to swim away. As he swam away Dikoro said he was rescued by the other two gentlemen while the deceased was nowhere to be found.
Meanwhile Kajaja Village Chief, Keneilweng Pinagare has urged people especially those from the neighboring villages to inform authorities before accessing the river. Given that the Okavango river is home to dangerous animals, the public especially fishermen are strongly advised to remain vigilant at all times.
