Decomposed bodies found on Lake Mw

Nkhata Bay police have, in a space of two weeks, recovered three bodies from Lake Malawi.

For the past two weeks, there have been storms on the lake, threatening lives of travellers and those that go fishing or swimming.

Nkhata Bay Police officer-in-charge Gideon Nahumu yesterday confirmed the development, saying the police also saved a fourth person from drowning  yesterday morning. All the incidents happened at Chintheche in Nkhata Bay.

He said all three bodies were found in a decomposed state, but it is not clear where they came from.

Recently, a boat was reported to have capsized in Nkhotakota and its passengers went missing.

Nahumu said the person rescued on Tuesday indicated that he was from Nkhotakota.

“The three bodies were found in decomposed state and have been buried. Two were found yesterday [Monday] and the other one was found end June. No one identified them,” he said.

Nahumu said police have intensified patrols on the lake to check boats for overloading and seaworthiness.

The police are also discouraging fishing,  swimming and bathing in the lake to avoid drowning.

However, Nahumu said fishermen are proving to be a challenge as they earn a living from the lake.

Nkhata Bay District Hospital spokesperson Christopher Singini identified the person saved as Emmanuel Chelewa, 23, of Chiwoko Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mkumpha in Likoma, but lives at Dwangwa in Nkhotakota.

Chelewa is said to have gone fishing last week alongside four others when the boat they were using capsized. The five held on to the boats but as hours passed the other four could no longer hold on to the boat.

Singini said the survivor was very weak, but remembers what transpired.

According to Singini, Chelewa said he saw the others slipping off the boat and they have not been seen since then.