This archive report was first published on 12 October 2019.
On October 11, 2019, Kenya Navy and private divers from South Africa successfully retrieved the wreckage and bodies of Miriam Kagheda and her daughter Amanda Matheu, who had drowned in the Indian Ocean after their car slid off a ferry.
Just six days earlier, on October 5, 2019, MP Moses Kuria had ruled out the possibility of the bodies being recovered, accusing the government of giving Kenyans false hope.
"Kenya Ferry Services should stop giving Kenyans hope that they will recover the bodies and the vehicle. A whole seven minutes was lost watching an innocent lady and her child die. The attention should shift to firing the CEO and ensuring this will never happen again," Kuria advised in a Facebook post.
However, the government and the Kenya Navy proved Kuria wrong, working with a team of private divers from South Africa to successfully retrieve the bodies and wreckage after approximately 12 days of search.
Government officials, including Kenya Navy commander Levi Mghala and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, were present at the scene.
Government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna announced that the military would conduct a special service before the bodies are handed over to the family.
