A Memon family’s Christmas Day merrymaking turned tragic after a boat they were riding in capsized at Mombasa’s Jomo Kenyatta Beach.
In the Sunday evening incident, the family of 12 from Nairobi lost two of their relatives, a man and a woman. One member is still in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Mombasa Red Cross Chairperson Mahmoud Noor said.
Infants aged between 3 and 5 months, who were part of the family during the incident, are in stable condition.
Confirming the incident, Mombasa county police Commander Stephen Matu noted that the family members had hired the boat for Christmas day celebrations.
The woman’s body was recovered moments after the drowning incident, while the man’s body was recovered around Kingston area during the search.
Matu added that six others have been rescued and were receiving treatment at a private hospital within Mombasa.
The county police boss called for merrymakers to be aware of the current strong waves in the Indian Ocean and avoid areas which can easily turn into death traps.
He called on Kenyans and visitors visiting Mombasa to exercise caution, especially during this time.
The bodies of the two were moved to Coast general hospital mortuary awaiting to undergo postmortem.
The police boss at the same noted that security had been intensified across Mombasa and assured both residents and visitors of their safety.
