A fisherman who was undergoing homecare treatment in Soyosoyo village, Kilifi County after being stung by a black sea urchin on his left foot while fishing, has died.
The fisherman identified as Emmanuel Kiti Yawa, 32 and popularly known as Ngoto died at his rental house which he lived with his four-year-old son.
The incident happened while he was fishing with his colleagues in the shallow waters off the Soyosoyo beach on the eve of December 7 this year.
Sea urchin is an aquatic creature with more than 90 percent water in its body.
It’s not a fish. They have an umbrella-shaped body and tentacles used to catch their prey.
The tentacles can be upto 30 to 35 meters long. Not all sea urchins are harmless.
According to Kiti Jembe, one of the fishermen, said that the deceased was swept by a strong ocean wave which led him unknowingly stepping on a sea urchin.
“When we took off for fishing the weather was good but after a while it changes and became rough. I saw my friend being taken high up by a strong wave which he did not see it before landing on a rocky area surrounded by sea urchins,” he said.
He added the deceased began feeling unwell as they returned to the shore after the fishing.
“As we were at the landing site waiting for fishmongers to come and buy our catch, he started looking unwell but he insisted he was well and strong,” said Jembe.
Jembe revealed that after the selling, they went to a nearby drinking den where he noticed he had several sea urchins strings on his left feet and he help to remove them.
“When I was helping in removing him some of the sea urchins strings he started complaining of an increased temperature and swelling of his feet so I instructed him to go home and take medicine,” he added.
Paul Kadenge, a neighbour, said he became suspicious after noticing the door of the deceased open for hours on the fateful day and when he checked he found the lifeless body lying in bed.
“I thought he had gone to work but I became suspicious after seeing the door opened for hours,” said Kadenge.
Police confirmed the incident saying they had commenced investigations into the matter.
The body was move to the Kilifi County Referral morgue pending autopsy and other procedures.
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