Nkurenkuru: The body of a 30-year-old woman was retrieved from the Kavango River on Sunday after she reportedly drowned while returning from a fishing expedition in Angola. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of river crossings in the region.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the Namibian Police Force's spokesperson for the Kavango West Region, Chief Inspector Raimbert Muronga, identified the deceased as Aune Simuma Hakusama. Her body was recovered from the river at Nankudu village by NamPol around 15h20 on Sunday.

Muronga explained that the mother of three was among six women who had gone to a location near Kahoro village to catch fish with traditional baskets at approximately 17h00 on Saturday when their canoe capsized. The group was returning from Angola when the accident occurred.

'Hakusama and another woman's canoe overturned as the group returned from Angola. Both women were carrying infant children at the time of the accident. Hakusama could not swim to safety and drowned; however, her one-year-old baby was rescued by another woman in the group,' Muronga stated. The woman accompanying Hakusama in the canoe survived the incident.

The authorities have informed Hakusama's next of kin, and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing.