This archive report was first published on 1 October 2019.
On Sunday, a devastating incident occurred when a car reversed and plunged into the Indian Ocean while on a ferry from the mainland to Mombasa. The driver of the ill-fated car has been identified as 35-year-old Mariam Kigenda.
Ms Kigenda, along with her four-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu, is believed to have drowned in the incident. The car, a Toyota Isis with registration KCB 289C, was the last to board MV Harambee from the mainland ramp before the tragic accident.
According to Likoni police, the car reversed when the ferry was midstream, plunging into the ocean. The victims' family camped at the shores on Monday morning as they awaited recovery efforts to start.
Rescue efforts were suspended on Sunday evening due to darkness, but the operations of the ferries were not affected by the incident, according to a statement from Kenya Ferry Services.
Kenya Navy divers have now taken over the task of retrieving the vehicle, which has been located 60 metres deep into the channel.
