Family seeks help to recover body of drowning victim at Lake Guinas after police divers have no success

Sylvia Nghinamwami is still waiting for her nephew’s body two weeks after he drowned at Lake Guinas near Tsumeb in the Oshikoto region.

O’linn Nauyoma (16) from Etosha Secondary School drowned three weeks ago while on a learners representative council (LRC) training tour.

Nginamwani is calling on the public and companies to help her raise funds for private divers to retrieve her nephew’s body.

“My nephew’s body hasn’t been found yet, and it’s hard to accept,” she says.

The incident was confirmed by police chief inspector Elifas Kuwinga, who says the drowning took place when the pupils went bungee jumping at the lake.

Cornelius Nauyoma, O’linn’s father, says he is heartbroken and has been struggling with insomnia since the incident.
“I can’t sleep because I’m wondering how it happened,” he says.

Cornelius, a resident of Ongha village in the Ohangwena region, says his son went home during the school’s midterm break when he [Cornelius] received a call from a teacher asking that he send his son back to school since he had been elected to the LRC.

“His last words to me was that he arrived at Tsumeb safely. Although I wanted to keep in touch with him he told me the teachers said they should not be receiving calls,” Cornelius says.

Oshana regional police copmmander commissioner Naftal Lungameni says he was one of 15 police divers who have been searching for O’linn’s body since 9 September.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t find the body. We hope it surfaces,” he says.

He advises schools to avoid dangerous areas when selecting tour venues.

It is reported that the bodies of three people who have drowned in Lake Guinas have not been recovered.

The lake is said to be linked to Lake Otjikoto, with a width of 59m, and a length of 120m.

It is the largest permanent lake in Namibia.

The centre of the lake has a depth of more than 130m, depending on the water level.