Lamu,KENYA:Marine Police in coordination with local divers have mounted a search and possible rescue mission for a fisherman who went missing at sea on Friday evening at Manda Mweni area after their boat they were fishing in capsized.
The fisherman was among five others who were in the boat during the time of the accident which occurred at around 6.30pm.
One person died and his body recovered on Friday evening while three other fishermen were rescued by fellow fishermen who were fishing in the area during the time of the accident.
The boat is said to have capsized due to too much weight on one side as the five occupants are all said to have been leaning on one side as they carried out their activities which led their boat to capsize.
Speaking to Baraka FM early Saturday morning, Lamu West OCPD Juma Londo said the missing fishermen has not been found and that there is high possibility that the Indian Ocean waters might have pushed him into the deep sea.
“We had to postpone the search and rescue mission on Friday night but marine police had already returned to the scene to continue with the search. We suspect the fisherman might have been pushed by the Indian Ocean waters to the deep sea. We are combing the Indian Ocean waters around the scene of the accident in a bid to either recover the missing fisherman or his body,” said Mr Londo.
Incidents of people going missing at sea after a boat accident are not new to Lamu with the worst being on August 13 last year when Lamu ODM politician Shekue Kahale lost 12 of his family members that included his four children and his wife.
They had been reported missing at sea a day before when they failed to arrive to Lamu Island from Kizingitini.
Their boat had unfortunately capsized at Manda Bruno area known for its gigantic waves leading to the death of the 12 while the politician survived after hours of swimming.
On June 20 last year, 10 people perished when a dhow that had aboard 25 passengers and their luggage capsized at the Mkanda Channel in the Indian Ocean while travelling from Lamu to Ndau village in Lamu East owing to rough tides at sea at the time.
On October 9 last year, four people who had been reported missing at sea were found alive by search team mounted by Red Cross and the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA).
They had spent a night on the Indian Ocean after their boat was overpowered by rough tides normally experienced at the Manda Bruno area and swept away to Dodori area where they were later found.
