Straddling three East African countries -- Uganda, Tanzania and
Kenya -- Lake Victoria has for centuries been a vital resource
for the millions of people living along its vast coastline. The
massive lake, which stretches some 70,000 square kilometers, is
the world's second-biggest freshwater body and the biggest of
its kind in Africa, as well as the chief reservoir of the Nile.
Home to a stunning archipelago of more than 80 islands, Lake
Victoria provides a livelihood for the fishermen navigating its
waters and the businesses dotting its shores. But for many that
comes with a risk. According to local officials, about 5,000
people are killed every year on the lake, victims of erratic
weather conditions and a mix of poor communications and lack of
resources. The high death toll makes the lake "arguably the most
dangerous stretch of water in the world in terms of fatalities
per square kilometer," according to The National Lake Rescue
Institute, a group launched in 2002 to improve safety on Lake
Victoria and prov