A ferry carrying over 1,500 passengers and 60 vehicles stalled midstream at the Likoni channel in Mombasa, prompting a rescue operation involving another ferry, MV Kilindini.
According to the original account, the incident occurred during Monday evening rush hour, causing panic among commuters who yelled and screamed as the ferry drifted towards the high seas.
Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) management responded quickly, abandoning a meeting to dispatch engineers and another ferry to rescue the stricken vessel, MV Kwale.
During the rescue operation, one man attempted to jump from the troubled ferry onto the rescuing vessel but missed, plunging into the sea. A team of divers rescued him, further delaying the operation.
Passenger Reactions ¶
Passengers on board the ferry were frantic, making calls to families and praying loudly, pleading for their lives. Irine Wafula, a first-time user of the ferry, described the experience, saying,
The ferry turned us around and drifted towards the open sea. I saw death with my own eyes today here.
Hassan Kombo, a regular ferry user, also expressed his fear, stating that he had to say prayers and call his family in Kwale to inform them that he was staring death in the face. He appealed to the government to hasten plans to build a bridge across the Likoni channel, citing the 1995 Mtongwe disaster.
KFS Response ¶
Elizabeth Wachira, KFS corporate communication manager, explained that management took swift action to address the situation, sending a boat with senior engineers and then the MV Kilindini to pull the stalled ferry to safety. She advised passengers to remain calm in case of a ferry hiccup, noting that the man who jumped overboard risked his life and those of other passengers.
The recovered account cited reporting by Mediamax.
