This archive report was first published on 27 December 2019.
On December 8, eight Kenyan fishermen embarked on a routine fishing expedition from Ziwayu beach on the north coast. However, they failed to return, sparking a desperate search effort.
A citizen-run rescue organization, Coast Sea Survival team, confirmed that they received a missing alert on the same date. The team, officially known as Captain Shallo, worked tirelessly to locate the missing fishermen.
Eighteen days later, on Christmas Day, marine police on patrol spotted the survivors in the Indian Ocean. The fishermen, who were using an Alhafidh Fibre 15HP boat, had managed to survive on raw fish and other sea creatures.
"Their boat was taken to the deep waters and capsized by strong winds and they have been in the ocean," said Malindi Sub County Police Commander Vitalis Otieno, who confirmed the incident.
The eight fishermen were rushed to Malindi Sub County Hospital for a medical check-up and have since been discharged. One of the survivors is a close relative of Captain Shallo's wife, who had been following their disappearance until their rescue.
It is not uncommon for fishermen to drown in the ocean waters in Kenya's coast, where the economy relies predominantly on fishing and tourism. However, this miraculous rescue serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
