The divers who first responded to the Mwingi tragedy after the bus capsized on Saturday, December 4, have recounted the trauma they suffered after the rescue mission.
Speaking to the press on Saturday, December 11, the divers indicated that it was hard for them pulling out the bodies of the deceased from wreckage of the ill-fated bus.
They further noted that the situation was exacerbated by the fact that they had watched the choir rehearsing and the children happily playing moments before the tragedy.
One of the divers, James Nyerere, even revealed that he could not sleep in the first night after the tragedy happened.
"The choir members, on that morning while on the other side of the river, they were singing and practicing while children were playing outside.
"When we removed the individual's bodies from the bus, it affected us and we felt sad. You see the body of a child and their mothers as well as fathers and youth. It was painful and it affected us. For instance, I could not sleep that night," he recounted.
Another diver noted that the main challenge they faced during the rescue mission was poor visiblity due to the then muddy water.
"Some of the windows were shut and since the water was muddy, we could not know which were open an which were closed. We used stones to break the window and feel the people's arms before bringing them on the shore," added another diver.
They further noted that the river has has claimed many lives every rainy season due to its poor terrain.
Due to the divers' brevity in the operation, Kitui County Governor Charity Ngilu promised that her county government will offer training and employment opportunities to recognize them.
Speaking in Mwingi, during a requiem mass held for the 33 victims who lost their lives in the tragedy, Ngilu assured residents that the rescuers will be equipped with professional diving skills.
In addition, she stated that the government will offer employment opportunities to them through the training process.
