Stolen canoe capsizes, kills 23-year-old

By Prince Sunduzani

A 23-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man drowned when a canoe which he and his friend had stolen capsized as they cruised on Umguza River at the weekend.

On Sunday, the deceased and his friend went to Windermere Hotel, which offers recreational activities such as canoeing, seeking fun, but their day ended in tragedy.

When the two arrived at the hotel, which is located about 15km along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway, they took a canoe that was parked in the river and embarked on a cruise without the owner’s permission.

As they were cruising, the canoe capsized and threw them into the water. One managed to swim to safety, but the 23-year-old was overwhelmed by the water and drowned.

His body was retrieved on Monday.

Bulawayo police spokesperson, Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident, but could not immediately identify the victim and his friend.

“I can confirm that two men aged 23 and 25 went to Windermere Hotel .They took a canoe without the hotel authorities’ consent. The canoe capsized and one of them managed to swim out and the other drowned,” said Insp Simango.

She warned members of the public against attempting water activities without authority or the help of experts.

“Members of the public should seek permission from service providers before attempting any water activities. Water is dangerous and they should always seek expert help especially when they are inexperienced in such activities.

“Service providers should ensure that their machinery is secure and they should always provide life jackets for their clients to guarantee their safety,” she said. The Chronicle