MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan 10 – A tour company bus, which had plunged into the Indian Ocean at the Likoni Crossing channel on Sunday morning has been salvaged.
The bus, which had two occupants; a driver and his helper, was coming from Diani in the South Coast to Mombasa Island when the incident happened.
Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) management said the bus, registration number KCS 909J which is owned by Pollman’s Safaris, lost control while boarding MV Jambo at 10:45am Sunday.
Its two occupants were immediately rescued by the members of the public, KFS staff, Kenya Coast Guard and National Police Service officers who were on duty.
“They were immediately taken to safety,” said KFS in a statement to newsrooms.
After a four-and-half-hour rescue operation, the bus was finally towed out of the water.
Pollman’s Safaris Operations Director, Mohammed Hersi, said the bus did not have any tourists on board when the accident occurred.
“The passengers had been dropped in Diani the previous evening. The bus had only a driver and his helper who were both rescued. We are grateful that no fatalities,” said Hersi.
In September 2019, a private car plunged into the Indian Ocean at the Likoni channel during routine ferry service, having slide off poorly retracted ramps.
Mariam Kighenda and her daughter died in the deep waters. The vehicle and its two occupants were retrieved 12 days after the accident.
There was an uproar from the public after the KFS management and the government took long time retrieve the vehicle.