This archive report was first published on 7 December 2019.
On Saturday, a dramatic rescue operation was conducted in the Indian Ocean after a vehicle plunged into the waters at dawn. The incident occurred when John Mutinda, 46, sped off the Likoni Ferry ramp, ignoring calls from other passengers and ferry officials to slow down.
According to reports, Mutinda had stormed out of his house at 4:20 am, leaving behind a widow and twins. The family has not issued a statement regarding a reported fight with his wife.
The vehicle was retrieved after a four-hour operation by the Kenya Navy, with the body taken to the Coast General Hospital morgue. The incident has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding Mutinda's death, with the Kenya Ferry Services stating that the car had plunged only 6 meters into the ocean.
The incident brings back memories of the recent Likoni Ferry tragedy, where Mariam Kighenda and her daughter Amanda Mutheu drowned on September 29. It took rescuers 13 days to retrieve the wreckage of their car from the seabed.
The Kenya Ferry Services has released a statement regarding Mutinda's death, saying, “A motorist driving a saloon car whose registration number plate has not yet been established right away after purchasing ticket drove off to the ramps with high speed to the ocean.”
