One missing, two rescued after boat capsizes in Lamu
One person is missing while two others were rescued after a boat they were travelling in capsized along the Mkokoni-Shee-Mwanasha channel in Kiunga Division, Lamu East on Friday.
One person is missing while two others have been rescued after a boat they were travelling in capsized along the Mkokoni-Shee-Mwanasha channel in Kiunga Division, Lamu East on Friday.
The three were transporting 15 bags of miraa (khat) from Mokowe jetty in Lamu West to Kiunga town on the Kenya-Somalia border when the accident occurred at around 11am.
Confirming the incident, Kiunga-Mkokoni Community Search and Rescue Team leader Mohamed Mote said the missing occupant was the boat's coxswain, identified as Musa Mikidadi alias Bonge.
The two rescued are the Miraa's cargo handlers.
Mr Mote said search and rescue efforts were being hampered by high tides and strong winds in the area.
"It was around 11am when we received the distress call from Shee-Mwanasha Channel that a boat had capsized. We rushed to the scene and managed to rescue two of the three occupants. The one missing is the captain of the boat, christened Mwana-Mpesi 2. It's challenging to continue the search and rescue mission as the ocean here is windy and accompanied by rough tides," said Mr Mote.
Shee-Mwanasha is part of the famous Mlango wa Tanu dangerous channel in Lamu County.
Lamu Disaster Management Unit Director Shee Kupi has called on fishermen and other sea users in the region to be cautious at sea, warning them against venturing into dangerous channels, especially during the July season when the sea always experiences strong winds and tides.
He cited Friday's boat capsize as a clear indication that the season is inappropriate for artisanal fishermen and sailors to navigate at sea.
Apart from Mlango wa Tanu and Shee-Mwanasha channels, other known dangerous and killer channels in the Lamu Archipelago include Mlango wa Ali in Kiwayu, Mlango wa Bomani in Kiunga, Mkanda and Shella channels and Mlango wa Kipungani.
These channels are known as 'killer channels' because they are located in the deepest parts of the ocean. They are also characterised by rough tides and deadly waves.
Hundreds of people have lost their lives on these channels.
"It is better that our fishermen and other seafarers avoid using dangerous routes in the open sea and, if possible, stay away from these channels. I believe that avoiding such routes is similar to avoiding death," said Mr Kupi.
