Singer Iryn Namubiru, who is among those who survived the Sunday night boat cruise accident on Lake Victoria, which claimed over 32 lives, has revealed the identity of the person who saved her. In a post on her social media page, Namubiru described Brian Masole, a student at Kampala International University (KIU) who saved as her “hero”.
“Here is Brian Masole, a student at KIU who saved my life and those of many others. He went back into the lake three times, until there were no other people alive,” Namubiru wrote. She said Masole and other students had hired their boat to go have fun on a nearby islands on the fateful day.
“When they saw our boat capsizing, he quickly took his friends ashore and came to rescue us,” Namubiru said. “He saw the light from my phone that I kept waving and came right to me. He asked me for the phone, bag and then pulled me in.”
She also said Masole tried to save Sheila Bisase, the wife to Templar Bisase, the owner of the ill-fated boat, but they failed to get her on board alive.
“He tried to pull the lady who came grabbing on my hand and the life jacket, almost drowning me. I managed to bring her up to the boat, but she died right there, as part of her life jacketgot stuck under the boat and she was too heavy. That was Sheila.” Namubiru left her phone with Masole, which he used to save others and went straight to resuscitate a one Shylla Nankunda, but she also died.
“On that very night, Brian communicated with my people after finding out who I was and assured them that I was alive and safe. By 3:00am, I was at my house, with my manager,” she said.
On Monday, Masole returned her phone and shoes. She thanked Masole, the fishermen around Mutima Beach and the locals who ran to their rescue. In an earlier social media post on Monday, the singer said: “I would like to thank all of you who have reached out to me. By God’s grace, I am still alive, safe and getting medical attention, but so traumatised. My deepest thoughts to our comrades who did not make it and condolences to the bereaved families. What can I say? ”
