Fishermen have retrieved the body of a 40-year-old fisherman who drowned in Lake Victoria waters near Sukru Island beach on Thursday evening.

Julius Okoth's body was recovered on Saturday near Sukru Island Beach by a fisherman, two days after he drowned while sailing towards Usao in Gembe North Location.

PHOTO | COURTESY police car

Julius drowned while attempting to grasp the boat paddle that had fallen into the lake when the waves smashed his boat owing to severe winds and heavy rains on Thursday evening.

Julius' body was recovered by his fellow fisherman a few meters from where he drowned and taken to Homa Bay mortuary, according to Chief of Gembe North Location Charles Ngoe.

The administrator voiced alarm over the growing number of drownings in the area, stating that he has lost four fishermen in the lake since August.

Ngoe urged fishermen and other lake users to follow water transport restrictions in order to avoid drownings constantly.