Drowned boy not found yet
The family of Mushinonge Ulinana, 13, who drowned in the Calueque-Oshakati canal at Epalela in Omusati Region, are demanding that NamWater stop pumping water into the canal so that they can recover the child's body.
Ulinana drowned in the canal on Friday on his way back from school. He was apparently trying to take a drink from the canal. His body is yet to be recovered.
The boy, who lived at Omakuya village, crossed the canal at a designated bridge with other children to attend school at Onhoko Primary School where he was in Grade 3.
His uncle, Antonious Petrus, told Namibian Sun yesterday that NamWater was not cooperating with the family in the search for the body.
“We have been searching for the body since Friday but without success. On Saturday we requested that NamWater stop pumping water into the canal so that we can recover the body. Up to now they have not done it and they are nowhere to be found,” Petrus said.
Omusati police spokesperson Sergeant Anna Kunga confirmed to Namibian Sun that the body has not been recovered yet. She said police divers have been at the site since Saturday, but they have not found anything.
“We are trying our best. In Omusati we do not have divers, we requested them from Oshakati and they have been on site since Saturday, but have found nothing,” Kunga said.
NamWater spokesperson Johannes Shigwedha, who is currently in the north, said the company sympathised with the family but could not stop pumping water into the canal, as that might actually hinder the search.
Shigwedha said ahead of where the boy fell into the canal, there is a siphon about two kilometres long and they suspect the body is there.
“There is a long siphon which is full of objects that are carried along in the canal. If we stop pumping in water, the water in the siphon will be still and the body would not be recovered easily. It is better we continue pumping,” Shigwedha said.
ILENI NANDJATO
Ulinana drowned in the canal on Friday on his way back from school. He was apparently trying to take a drink from the canal. His body is yet to be recovered.
The boy, who lived at Omakuya village, crossed the canal at a designated bridge with other children to attend school at Onhoko Primary School where he was in Grade 3.
His uncle, Antonious Petrus, told Namibian Sun yesterday that NamWater was not cooperating with the family in the search for the body.
“We have been searching for the body since Friday but without success. On Saturday we requested that NamWater stop pumping water into the canal so that we can recover the body. Up to now they have not done it and they are nowhere to be found,” Petrus said.
Omusati police spokesperson Sergeant Anna Kunga confirmed to Namibian Sun that the body has not been recovered yet. She said police divers have been at the site since Saturday, but they have not found anything.
“We are trying our best. In Omusati we do not have divers, we requested them from Oshakati and they have been on site since Saturday, but have found nothing,” Kunga said.
NamWater spokesperson Johannes Shigwedha, who is currently in the north, said the company sympathised with the family but could not stop pumping water into the canal, as that might actually hinder the search.
Shigwedha said ahead of where the boy fell into the canal, there is a siphon about two kilometres long and they suspect the body is there.
“There is a long siphon which is full of objects that are carried along in the canal. If we stop pumping in water, the water in the siphon will be still and the body would not be recovered easily. It is better we continue pumping,” Shigwedha said.
ILENI NANDJATO
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