Mombasa boat race tragedy: One of three missing bodies recovered

Search teams are scouring the waters of the Indian Ocean for the third consecutive day in a desperate bid to locate three people who went missing during a boat race on Friday. The trio were among 22 participants in the competition, part of the East Africa Ocean Festival held in Mombasa.

As hours turned into days, hopes of finding survivors have all but faded. Along the shoreline, families of the missing have kept vigil, their faces etched with grief and resignation.

“I just want to see my son,” said Lydia Nyange, mother of one of the missing men. “It’s been three days. My child is in the water, and I’ve been sitting here all along.”

Another parent, Janet Adhiambo, said her only child was among those unaccounted for. “I want Caleb to get justice and be retrieved from the water,” she said tearfully. “He’s my only child — the one God gave me. I feel pain like I’m in labour.”

Joyce Dama, also a mother of one of the missing, questioned how her son, who could not swim, ended up in the ocean. “It’s painful. My child didn’t even know how to swim. When did he learn, and where?” she asked.

The search operation, led by the Mombasa County Disaster Committee, has brought together a multi-agency team comprising the Kenya Navy, Kenya Coast Guard Service, and other emergency responders.

As the day wore on Sunday, search teams recovered the body of one of the three missing men, confirming families’ worst fears. Divers at the site described challenging working conditions, citing strong tides and poor underwater visibility.

“There are a total of 13 boats with 222 personnel, divers, and support staff involved in this operation,” said one of the officers leading the mission. “We are hopeful that today we will be successful.”

Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki, who visited the scene, commended the rescue teams for their efforts and pledged government support for the recovery mission and for the affected families.

“The waters are still muddy, and the tides make it difficult,” a team leader added. “But our officers are experienced, and we are making progress as conditions gradually improve.”

Even as the operation continued, grieving families accused the organizers of the East Africa Ocean Festival of negligence, alleging that participants were not given life jackets.

“When the event is held in Jomvu, everyone is given a safety jacket. Why weren’t ours given?” one relative asked.

However, in a statement, the East Africa Ocean Festival maintained that all safety protocols were followed. The organizers said all participants received pre-event safety briefings, certified life jackets, and took part in a safety drill. They added that ambulances and other medical facilities were available on-site throughout the event.

Search teams said the operation will continue until all the missing bodies are recovered.