This archive report was first published on 9 October 2019.
On October 9, 2019, the search for a car that plunged into the Indian Ocean with two people on board finally came to an end. The Toyota Isis, carrying 34-year-old Mariam Kaghenda and her 4-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu, was found lying 50 meters deep in the ocean.
The Kenya Navy, assisted by local and international divers, had been working tirelessly to retrieve the bodies of the two victims. The search operation had been ongoing for 11 days, with the team facing numerous challenges, including heavy rains, poor visibility, and hostile animals in the water.
Despite these challenges, the team remained hopeful, and their efforts were finally rewarded when the car was located. The Kenya Navy had identified 14 possible locations where the vehicle might be found, and the new technology-enabled them to narrow down the search to a 300-meter radius.
Government Spokesperson Col (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna cautioned that it still remained to be proved if indeed the sighted vehicle was the same one that plunged into the ocean. However, the team was hopeful that by the end of Wednesday or early Thursday, they would have verified what the objects were.
