Three men drown in separate incidents in Karonga

Three men have drowned in separate incidents in Lake Malawi in Karonga District, police have confirmed.

The deceased are Lowland Ng’ambi, 29, Jonas Mtawali, 32, and an unidentified adult male.

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According to Karonga Police Station Public Relations Officer, Margret Msiska, Ng’ambi went to cast fishing nets on May 31, 2025.

He was last seen on June 1 when he returned to check his nets but did not come back. His body was later found floating near Gumi fishing dock around 5:30 a.m. on June 2 by a fisherman.

“On the same day, another body, believed to be of an unidentified adult male, was discovered in a decomposed state by a passerby near Israel fishing dock in Mwandovi Village.

“In a separate incident, Mtawali went fishing on May 30 with a companion when their boat capsized due to turbulent waters. While his friend was rescued by nearby fishermen, Mtawali went missing and his body was found on June 2 at around 9:00 a.m. floating in Lake Malawi,” said Msiska.

Police detectives from Nyungwe, Chilumba, and Kaporo Police Stations, alongside medical personnel from their respective health centres, visited the scenes and postmortem results confirmed that all three died due to suffocation secondary to drowning.

Ng’ambi hailed from Mwakisenjere Village under Senior Chief Mwilang’ombe, while Mtawali came from Chakwera Village under Senior Chief Kilupula, both in Karonga District.

Msiska has since urged fishermen to take extra precautions.

“We are deeply saddened by these tragic incidents. We urge all fishermen and lake users to monitor weather conditions closely and prioritise safety before setting out on the lake. Such tragedies can be avoided with better awareness and preparation,” said Msiska.

Meanwhile, Police investigations are ongoing as efforts continue to identify the third victim.