This archive report was first published on 1 October 2019.
Likoni Ferry Disaster: Bodies Retrieval Mission Kicks Off Amid Criticism ¶
Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) has advised the public to anticipate inconveniences in transportation at Likoni Channel as operations to retrieve the bodies of Mariam Kighenda, 35, and her 4-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu, who drowned in the Indian Ocean after their car slid off a ferry, kick off.
On September 29, the car slid off the ferry and plunged into the ocean, resulting in the tragic loss of the two lives. The incident has sparked widespread criticism of KFS's lethargy during the accident.
Experts have identified the location of the car, which is at least 60 meters under the water. The wreckage is too deep for KFS's emergency divers to retrieve, and the service has contracted private divers from a South African underwater company to aid in the operation.
According to KFS, the retrieval mission will be affected by weather conditions and tidal movements, which will impact the pace of the exercise. The service has apologized for the inconvenience and expressed its sympathies to the affected families.
Many Kenyans have taken to social media to express their outrage over the slow response of emergency teams during the accident, with some calling for the sacking of Transport CS James Macharia.
As the retrieval mission gets underway, Kenyans are left to wonder what could have been done to save the two lives.
