This archive report was first published on 11 October 2019.
On September 29, a devastating incident occurred when a car slipped off the MV Harambee ferry in Likoni Channel, resulting in the tragic loss of Mariam Kighenda, 35, and her four-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu.
After a 13-day recovery operation, the bodies of the victims were finally pulled from the Indian Ocean on Friday afternoon.
However, behind the scenes, a multi-agency team involved in the operation faced significant challenges, including a lack of cooperation between the Kenya Navy and other agencies.
According to an official in the multi-agency team, the Kenya Navy was involved in the mission only to provide a sense of reassurance to the family.
"It was when the family showed seriousness in getting private divers that the operation became serious," the official stated.
Initially, local divers were contracted by the family, but they pulled out of the operation after receiving Sh100,000. It was only when the family hired eight divers from South Africa, contracted by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, who provided Sh2 million for the operation, that the recovery efforts gained momentum.
Despite the Kenya Navy's claims of being capable of the job, the government reportedly brought in three additional divers from South Africa, leading to a tussle between the two teams.
Multiple sources revealed that the lack of planning meetings and cooperation between the Kenya Navy and other agencies, including the Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, and the county government, further stalled the operation.
