This archive report was first published on 3 October 2019.
On October 1, 2019, a car carrying Mariam Kigenda, 35, and her 4-year-old daughter, Amanda Mutheu, sank in the Indian Ocean after reversing from the MV Harambee ferry at the Likoni Ferry channel.
Government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna addressed the press on October 2, 2019, at the Likoni Ferry channel, where he acknowledged the public's frustration over the slow retrieval of the bodies.
“Many assume that swimming in the deep sea is equivalent to swimming in a pool; this is not the case, given visibility in the ocean is completely hampered by the rocks,” Oguna said.
He emphasized that the retrieval of bodies from the ocean is not as easy as many people believe, and that the government is doing its best to secure the necessary equipment to aid in the operation.
Initial investigations by Likoni OCPD Benjamin Rotich showed that the vehicle reversed after its braking system failed.
The government has secured a high-tech machine from South Africa to help in the retrieval of the bodies and the car wreckage.
