This archive report was first published on 9 May 2021.
On May 4, three students from Mathira East sub-county embarked on an adventure in Mt Kenya forest, but their hike turned into a desperate struggle for survival.
Anthony Muhoro, 17, Jackson Karuri, 17, and David Mukoma Kinyua, 20, were hiking in the forest when they lost their way back home. The students, who were accompanied by their two dogs, spent four days without food or contact.
Police officers, led by Mathira East Police Commander James Baraza, mounted an aerial and ground search for the students. The operation involved Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service rangers who combed the forest in search of the students.
"It was by the grace of God that we survived for four days without food and other necessities," Muhoro told the Sunday Nation in a phone interview from the forest.
"We thought we were going to die and kept praying," Muhoro said. "We survived on water and wild fruits since we had not carried any food. We literally groped in the dark after losing our way back home."
After four days of futile search, police deployed a helicopter to aid in the search. The helicopter made several trips to and from the stadium, the main command centre of the search, causing a stir in Karatina.
On May 8, the students were finally rescued by police officers and forest rangers. They were found trekking towards the edge of the forest, where they met some police officers and forest rangers who summoned the rest of the search party.
