The woman was identified as 35-year-old Mariam Kigenda and her 4-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu/COURTESY
MOMBASA, Kenya, Oct 1 – Divers commenced Tuesday morning the search and recovery of a wreckage of a vehicle that plunged into the Indian Ocean on Sunday evening, in which a mother and her daughter drowned.
The Kenya Ferry Services announced it was starting the recovery exercise on Tuesday morning, two days after the incident that raised serious safety and security concerns at the Likoni crossing channel.
While police said the woman was seen reversing the vehicle, a Toyota ISIS, that was the last on the queue on the MV Harambee ferry, witnesses said the back part of the dilapidated ferry has no safety mechanisms, particularly for vehicles which can easily slide off.
Likoni Police chief Benjamin Rotich said an investigation will be undertaken to establish circumstances that led to the accident.
The woman was identified as 35-year-old Mariam Kigenda and her 4-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu.
“Two areas were identified as the position of the wreckage up to 60 meters deep, thus affects the speed and process of recovery,” the Ferry company said and blamed weather conditions and tidal movements for the slow pace.
And it warned of disruptions of the ferry services during the recovery exercise.
“We sincerely stand with the affected families, friends and ferry users as a whole during this trying moments, our prayers and sympathies are with the family to the conclusion of this unfortunate incident,” it said.
John Wambua, the husband to the deceased woman, told journalists he last spoke to his wife shortly before the incident when he just driven into the ferry.
“She had visited our farm in Kwale and I was expecting her back on Sunday. Shortly after 6pm, she called to tell me that she was on her way back and she was, in fact about to cross. But at around 6.40pm, I scanned my Twitter and saw breaking news about Likoni ferry mishap in which a vehicle had plunged into the ocean. I was shocked and called my wife but I couldn’t reach her,” Wambua said.
He was later to confirm his worst fears, on social media when the Kenya Ferry confirmed the registration number of the vehicle involved in the accident.
According go, witnesses, the vehicle plunged into the ocean, when it reversed midstream.
A relative said it was disheartening that the Kenya Defence Forces; Kenya Navy, Kenya Army and Airforce, were practicing at Mama Ngina Waterfront Park and did not offer help to retrieve the bodies of the two family members. For the better part of Monday, no retrieval operation was conducted. Just one single police boat was sighted patrolling at the Likoni channel/FILE – CFM
Catherine Wanjala, sister to Kigenda, could not hold back her tears, as she tried to explain to journalists how they had been trying to get assistance from the government, in vain.
“We have been here since last night. No help is coming. This is not right at all,” she said on Monday.
Another relative said it was disheartening that the Kenya Defence Forces; Kenya Navy, Kenya Army and Airforce, were practicing at Mama Ngina Waterfront Park and did not offer help to retrieve the bodies of the two family members.
The Mama Ngina Waterfront Park, which is just adjacent to the Likoni Crossing channel, will host this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations on October 20.
“We are seeing the military practicing, no one is interested in coming and trying to help us. Instead of helping us, they are practicing for something that will happen on October 20,” she said.
She added that Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) had indicated it will be calling the military to a boardroom meeting.
“We are not going to any board meeting. How will a board meeting help us?” said Mariam’s relative.
According to family members, Kigenda was a business lady and a farmer with a farm in Kwale County.
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