Indian Ocean Tragedy: Family Of 15 Loses 2 After Boat Capsizes

They had hired a boat which was to transport them in the Indian Ocean on a short trip, just like any other tourist.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Dec 26, 2022 - 09:01 Updated: Dec 26, 2022 - 09:01
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Indian Ocean Tragedy: Family Of 15 Loses 2 After Boat Capsizes
Boat that capsized in Lake Victoria in May 2019. /TWITTER

Mombasa’s Jomo Kenyatta Beach, commonly known as Pirate’s Beach was hit with tragedy on Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25 after a family of Asian origin lost two relatives to a boat capsizing incident.

Mombasa County Police Commander Stephen Matu, who confirmed the incident, said the two family members, a man and a woman, were among 15 members who had travelled to the Coast for the Christmas festivities.

They had hired a boat which was to transport them in the Indian Ocean on a short trip, just like any other tourist. However, during the trip, the boat capsized, drowning all the family members on board.

Rescue operation at the Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach, also known as Pirate's Beach. One woman died after a boat they were riding capsized at the beach on December 25, 2022. /DAILY NATION

"We had an Asian family from Nairobi and were riding a boat just like other people at the beach and then the boat capsized," Mombasa Red Cross chairperson Mahmoud Noor stated.

"Eleven were rescued. Two adult females were rushed to the hospital together with two infants. Unfortunately one of the ladies passed on. later on, the body of a male member of the same family was discovered."

He added that one member is still in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Infants aged between three and five months, who were part of the family during the incident, are in stable condition.

The cause of the accident was not immediately established. On the same day, the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) intensified a holiday-beach-safety awareness campaign to sensitize the public on water safety precautions.

The campaign, organised by KMA, Coast Professional Lifeguards, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and other players is aimed at ensuring the safety of holidaymakers visiting the beaches over Christmas and New Year, especially at the most-visited Jomo Kenyatta Beach where activities now run 24 hours a day.

“Professional lifeguards have taken up watch of the beaches with KMA ensuring visitors stick to the dos and don’ts at the recreational area. We are striving to have zero per cent incidents during the festive season,” said KMA chairman Hamisi Mwaguya.

Head Maritime Safety KMA Luke Samba said they were assured meteorological department that there would be no strong winds in the next few days.

For the past three years, beaches along the Kenyan coast have not witnessed an increased number of tourists due to Covid-19 restrictive measures until this year.

Kenyans hit the Jomo Kenyatta public beach in Mombasa, Kenya, during New Year celebrations on January 1, 2013. /PINTEREST

Mombasa County Police Commander Stephen Matu promised to deploy more police officers across various facilities to curb future incidences while urging holidaymakers to exercise caution along the beach.

"Let's stay away from activities that can easily lead to the loss of life," he warned Kenyans and other tourists visiting the beach.

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