A witness recounted the final moments leading to the accident in Watamu, Kilifi County where at least three lives were lost after a boat capsized in the Indian Ocean.
Reports indicated that an eight-year-old, who was on holiday with his parents from Nairobi, was among the fatalities.
According to Watamu Beach Management Unit Chairman Vincent Kahindi, the child's body is yet to be retrieved in the search and rescue mission.
"At the moment we have found three bodies and the one that has not been found is that of the child but we are still searching," Kahindi stated.
In addition, Malindi Sub-county Deputy Police Commander Solomon Odero affirmed that the passengers, involving 15 foreigners and 14 Kenyans nationals, were on a boat ride. It is, however, unclear if the boat was heading for a picnic at Mida Creek.
"The boat capsized in the morning and a rescue team from the Kenya Wildlife Service embarked on the rescue mission. They managed to save 25 people. Three people died,” he stated.
Malindi police boss, however, dismissed claims of overloading as the cause of the accident.
Locals decried the lack of lifeboats along the Indian Ocean in the event of tragedies.
"During emergencies, it becomes difficult for people to be rescued easily because here we don't have adequate rescue equipment," Francis Karisa, a beach attendant along the ocean, stated.
At the time of the accident on Saturday evening, January 21, Kenya Marine officers rushed to the accident scene to rescue the foreigners and retrieve the bodies. The survivors, who sustained minor injuries, were treated and discharged.
"We treated some tourists. They were in shock and reported only slight bruises," a hotel manager in Watamu pointed out.
In the past, Watamu residents blamed the government for their slow response. They lamented that the three would have been saved had rescue officers arrived on time.
They appealed to President William Ruto's administration to set up safety measures to protect visitors in order to promote tourism in the Coastal region.
