Only one person had life jacket in canoe accident, official says
A search and rescue goes on on the Mkanda channel in Lamu East on June 20, 2017 after a canoe capsized. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
This emerged as the deceased were buried at Ndau Cemetery in Lamu East on Wednesday afternoon.
Lamu East Sub-County Administrator Shee Kupi, who led the search and rescue for the incident that occured on the Mkanda channel, said the passenger was among 15 people who had survived it.
Only one out of the the 25 passengers on the canoe that capsized on Tuesday in Lamu East leading to the death of 10 people had a life jacket on.
This emerged as the deceased were buried at Ndau Cemetery in Lamu East on Wednesday afternoon.
Lamu East Sub-County Administrator Shee Kupi, who led the search and rescue for the incident that occured on the Mkanda channel, said the passenger was among 15 people who had survived it.
Mr Kupi called on authorities, including the Kenya Maritime Authority and the Kenya Marine Police, to enforce use of life jackets.
The county government gave an unspecified amount of money to the bereaved families the burial.
After the event, Lamu County Assembly Speaker Mohamed Hashim promised the families help from the county government.
“Together with other county leaders, we will find a way to help the families of those who departed,” Mr Hashim said. “This is a tragedy to the people of Ndau and Lamu at large.”
