At least 20 people have died after a boat capsized on Lake Victoria in Uganda on Wednesday.

The Uganda Police Force said nine people had been rescued and emergency workers were searching for more survivors.

The cargo boat was carrying charcoal, fresh food and fish when the accident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning during bad weather. Police believe there were 34 people on board.

"The cause of [the] accident is attributed to overloading and bad weather," police said. "We appeal to members of the public who travel on waters to always wear life jackets and not to overload their vessels."

Boat tragedies on Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake. It borders Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Hundreds of people die in boat accidents on Ugandan lakes every year.

Boating accidents are usually blamed on overcrowding and poor weather, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that few people know how to swim.

Boats tend to be the only form of transportation in parts of Africa's Great Lakes region, and they are often overcrowded and poorly maintained.

zc/msh (AFP, dpa)