This archive report was first published on 27 December 2019.
Kenya Navy Accused of Abandoning Fishermen in the Deep Sea ¶
Four fishermen from Kilifi have accused the Kenya Navy of abandoning them in the deep sea, leaving them to survive on dry raw fish and water for nine days.
The fishermen, who were on a fishing trip, veered into the deep waters of the Indian Ocean and lost direction. They also ran out of fuel.
According to Malik Mbwana, the captain of the boat, the team drifted in the waters, surviving on dry raw fish and water.
On the ninth day of their ordeal, they spotted a Kenya Navy boat patrolling the ocean. However, the soldiers refused to give them help, even when they begged for water.
‘We were left to die in the deep sea, with no help from the Kenya Navy. They refused to give us even water,’ Malik narrated to Citizen TV.
Despite not getting help, the fishermen survived for eight more days before finding help in a village after drifting to the shores.
Kenya Navy has been accused of a lack of patriotism and failure to do their duty. The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with many Kenyans calling for the navy to be held accountable.
On December 26, 2019, Twitter user @muya_gichigi_ll tweeted, ‘Kenya Navy found those fisherman that survived for 17 days stranded in the deep sea on their 9th day dying of thirst drinking sea water but the guys left them for dead, no amount of begging persuaded the Navy crew to rescue or even give them food & water. Fuck!’
Kenya Navy has faced criticism in the past for its handling of incidents. In September 2019, the soldiers were unable to retrieve the bodies of Mariam Kighenda and her four-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu after their car plunged into the ocean from a ferry on the Likoni Channel.
Published on December 27, 2019, at 08:21:57.
