Four fishermen feared dead after boat capsizes in ocean

Matano Jaffary speaks at the Tamarind Hotel landing site in Mombasa County on July 12, 2018. A search operation is on to find Mr Jaffary's four fishing colleagues who went missing after their boat capsized Tuesday morning. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The four were among six fishermen who had gone fishing when their boat capsized as they returned  to shore.

  • The two survivors yesterday narrated how they swam for 10 hours in the deep sea after their boat capsized few metres from the jetty.

  • Mombasa police commander Johnston Ipara said the team has expanded the search to Kilifi and Kwale counties.

Four fishermen are feared dead after their boat capsized in the Indian Ocean in Mombasa on Tuesday.

The four were among six fishermen who had gone fishing when their boat capsized as they returned from fishing.

Matano Jaffary and Edwin Odhiambo escaped death after they managed to swim to safety, while Mohammed Haroon, Ahmed Ali, Lance Maritho and Idi Passe are yet to be traced.

The two survivors yesterday narrated how they swam for 10 hours in the deep sea after their boat capsized few metres from the jetty.

Mr Jaffary said a heavy current struck their fishing boat on Tuesday early morning.

“The boat overturned and we started swimming towards the jetty but as we approached it another strong wave struck, scattering us in different directions,” said Mr Jaffary who has been a fisherman for 14 years now.

Since Wednesday a team of marine police and Kenya Wildlife Service officers have been searching for the four.

Mombasa police commander Johnston Ipara said the team has expanded the search to Kilifi and Kwale counties.

Meanwhile, Mr Ipara appealed to the fishermen to reduce trips to the ocean this season because the ocean waves have changed.

“This is not the right time to go to for deep sea fishing and we want to urge the fishermen to heed this for their own safety,” said Mr Ipara.

The fishermen have appealed to both the national and county governments to set a rescue team to avert such cases.

 “Some of the risks we experience can be averted if there is a well-managed rescue team but if nothing is done to assist the team of the divers we have then we will continue hearing the same stories year in, year out,” said Abdallah Swaleh, a fisherman.