Tragedy strikes village in Laikipia as students drown as they swim in a river

Residents of Nyariginu Village in Laikipia County at the banks of Ontulili River in which two students drowned on December 27, 2016 while on a swimming expedition. The two had just celebrated Christmas with their families. PHOTO | MUCHIRI GITONGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The two were in the company of a European who sponsors their education, Chief Wang’ombe Wanjau said.
  • On sensing danger, the sponsor dived and retrieved one who was already dead.
  • The other body was retrieved at around 11pm with the help of police, Kenya Red Cross and specialised divers.
  • Laikipia East Police Boss Zaccheus Ng’eno urged parents to monitor the movements of their children.

A village in Laikipia County has been thrown into mourning after two teenagers drowned in a river a day after celebrating Christmas with their families.

One of the victims, Lewis Muriithi, was a Form One student at Mukurwe-ini Boys Secondary School while the other, Humphrey Medi, was an electronics student at Nanyuki Polytechnic.

They drowned on Tuesday afternoon while on a swimming expedition in Ontulili River at Nyariginu Village.

The two were in the company of a European who sponsors their education, Chief Wang’ombe Wanjau said.

“They dived into the water but never appeared on the surface and their sponsor sensed danger and retrieved one of the boys but he was already dead,” Mr Wanjau said.

The other body was retrieved at around 11pm with the help of police, Kenya Red Cross and specialised divers.

“We are treating the incident as normal accident. During this season the rivers have dried up and the few remaining sections might be extraordinary deep for swimming,” Laikipia East Police Boss Zaccheus Ng’eno said.

He said the boys were on a Christmas holiday when they decided to swim in the river, not knowing its depth.

Mr Ng’eno urged parents and guardians to monitor the movement of their children during this festive season to avoid such incidents.