It was a lucky escape for a driver and his passenger who were rescued before drowning at Mutithi Swamp after their car veered off the Mwea - Embu Highway and plunged into a swamp.
In the incident that took place on the night of Thursday, April 6, the driver was reportedly speeding the probox he acquired just hours prior to the accident.
The Probox driver reportedly lost control of the car and veered off the road and right into the swamp.
Motorists who witnessed the accident immediately stopped by the roadside and mounted a rescue operation that retrieved the two passengers before they drowned.
As a result of the rescue activities, a heavy traffic snarl up was witnessed along the Mwea-Embu highway while others stopped to record videos and take pictures.
A witness identified as Benjamin Kariuki noted that the Probox that was being driven at a high speed was heading toward the Makutano side.
"The two told us they had bought the vehicle from Embu Town and they were heading to their Murang'a home when the accident happened," Kariuki told the press.
Initial attempts to retrieve the victims using a chain connected to a tractor that was on standby were futile.
The light truck was simply not able to pull out the car that went deep into the muddy Mutithi Swamp in Kirinyaga County.
It was a big relief for the witnesses when two local divers volunteered to rescue the occupants who were trapped in the vehicle.
The effort of the rescues was well-complimented by Mwea police officers who arrived at the scene of the accident a few minutes later.
Mwea West Police Commander Mbatian Kantai confirmed that the victims were immediately transferred to the hospital.
Mbatia also noted that the vehicle was towed to Mwea Police Station where it was processed by Scene of Accident Experts.
"The vehicle was extensively damaged and towed to Sagana police station and the driver and his passenger are out of danger," Mbatia stated.
