A boat with two occupants caught fire in the middle of the Indian Ocean on Saturday, December 12, seriously injuring two people on board.
According to Citizen TV, the boat was transporting Khat from Mokowe to Kiunga in Lamu County, when the fire broke out.
The helmsman suffered injuries on both legs while his colleague had injuries on one leg.
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Local police commander Moses Murithi has since confirmed the incident indicating that investigations are underway to establish the cause of the fire. He added that both the boat and the khat were completely destroyed.
The police suspected that the boat could have had a faulty battery resulting in the fire as the two occupants receive treatment in the hospital.
Boats are the main modes of movement in Lamu's water transport system.
They are mainly used by people entering and exiting Lamu Island from other islands including Mtangawanda, Faza, Pate, Kizingitini, Kiwayu, Ndau, Mkokoni, Kiunga as well as the mainland areas of Mokowe, Hindi, Mpeketoni and Witu among others.
A similar incident was reported in February this year when a man was seriously injured after a boat caught fire on Lamu Island.
Shafi Mawiyawiya got serious burns on his left leg and hand after the petrol-powered boat which was parked in one of the yards exploded in an incident believed to have been caused by a cigarette.
It took an hour for residents to put out the fire using water from the Indian Ocean after helping Mawiyawiya move out of the burning boat.
