Seven Tanzanian fishermen escaped death by a whisker after Kenyan government rushed to their rescue when their boat capsized in the Indian ocean.
The group made a distressed call near Mtwapa along the Kenyan Coastline after their vessel developed mechanical problems.
In a statement to Kenyans.co.ke, Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) Director-General George Okong’o disclosed that the group left Tanga for Pemba on Thursday, June 2, but strong winds must have pushed them into Kenyan waters.
“The vessel had departed Tanga for Pemba on June 2 with a cargo of 700 logs of eucalyptus when she was overcome by strong winds, got swamped and heavily listed with loss of propulsion power.
"The loss of propulsion power coupled with strong winds could have led the vessel to drift to Kenyan waters,” stated the KMA DG.
They were taken to Kilifi where they currently being quarantined.
Their boat, FV Haina Hollo, is reported to have capsized on Friday, June 3, and that when they were found, they appeared weak and emaciated.
KMA officials and those from Kilifi County Government are reported to have attended to the fishermen before they were transferred to the quarantine facility.
“KMA has notified the Tanzanian Maritime Authority, as well as the consulate in Mombasa of the incident and they, are in contact with the vessel owner.
"We are currently advising fishermen to be vigilant and we have issued two marine warning notices on the strong winds being experienced in the Indian Ocean this time until August,” he added.
This comes as Kenya-Tanzania relations face a test over there respective means of curbing the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
On Wednesday, May 20, the Government of Tanzania accused Kenya of falsifying truck drivers' Covid-19 results in order to kill tourism in the country.
This was, in part, a response to President Kenyatta's Saturday, May 16, decision to order the closure of borders with Tanzania and Somalia as cross-border Covid-19 infections continued to rise.
The two presidents, however, agreed on an amicable solution to the border dispute that included having truck drivers tested in their respective countries.
On Friday, June 5, Magufuli took another subtle swipe at Kenya's looming food shortage by challenging Tanzanians to sell their food exorbitantly to other countries.
