A vehicle that plunged into the Indian Ocean at around 4:20 am on Saturday, December 7, 2019, has been retrieved by Kenya Navy, four hours after it sunk.
The maroon Toyota saloon car had plunged 6 metres into the ocean and was carrying a 46-year-old man, John Mutinda.
His body was also retrieved and was taken to Coast General Hospital Mortuary before his family requested a transfer to Jocham Hospital, where a post-mortem is expected to be conducted.
The deceased has left a widow and twins.
Kenya Ferry Services had announced the incident on social media.
"It is with sadness that we would like to confirm that at around 4.20 am, on the mainland side of the channel, a motorist driving a saloon car whose registration number plate has not yet been established right away, after purchasing a ticket, drove off to the ramps with high speed to the ocean even after being flagged by our ramp controllers to slow down and stop," Kenya Ferry Services announced.
According to the neighbours and a few family members, there was a slight argument at their home before Mutinda left hurriedly, without putting on a shirt.
Earlier, when his body was retrieved, Mutinda was only wearing a trouser, in what is suspected to have been a suicide act.
"We received the news in the morning that the body had been retrieved. We have not yet seen it, therefore, we cannot release a full statement. The wife can't also speak at the moment until we view the body.
"I was informed of his death in the morning by Reverend Paul Rugut, our pastor. It was then that I rushed to the scene," Bernard Sila, the family spokesperson stated.
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