Globology's Waterbus Incident

On Saturday 2 May 2020, DOB Equity’s portfolio company, Globology, suffered an incident on Lake Victoria, Kenya

The Waterbus was on route to Usenge from Mageta island at 17:45 and was hit by rough weather. The catamaran MV Ringiti was struck by a large wave, and the starboard hull was damaged.  The crew safely evacuated the 10 passengers in lifejackets, and 5 crew followed. No lives were lost, and passengers were transported to hospital for a check-up. No injuries were reported by passengers or crew after their visit to medical facilities.  All 10 passengers and crew rescued from the damaged Waterbus are safe and well.

The safety of the Waterbus’s passengers and crew is the company’s number one priority. The ferries are designed and manufactured to international certified standards to be robust and safe in all conditions, and are fitted with regularly checked life-saving equipment. The crew is KMA certified and has undergone  STCW (‘Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping’), training in firefighting, survival at sea and first aid. Waterbus has completed 30,000 journeys since 2010 without incident. 

We are thankful that the calm response of the crew and passengers allowed everyone to be taken off the Waterbus without injury and we appreciate the rapid response of the canoes which came to their rescue.

Despite losing one of its two hulls MV Ringiti did not capsize or sink and the crew and passengers were evacuated without getting wet. During the night continuing rough weather caused the Waterbus to overturn but the vessel is still afloat and has been towed to shore where an incident investigation is now underway.