A man died in the wee hours of Sunday morning after allegedly jumping off MV Harambee ferry at the Likoni channel.
In a statement, the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) stated the operation to retrieve the body of the man whose identity is yet to be established, is ongoing.
The man, dressed in a white top and a black trouser, KFS said, left his seat, dashed to the aft prow and dived into the Indian ocean at about 1.30 AM.
The vessel, from the Mombasa mainland, was heading to the island when the incident happened.
“At around 0130hrs an unidentified male passenger went overboard MV. Harambee from mainland to the island side .our rescue efforts bore no fruit. The search of the body is still on, ” said KFS.
At around 0130hrs an unidentified male passenger went overboard MV. Harambee from mainland to the island side .our rescue efforts bore no fruit. The search of the body is still on.#likoniferry#ferrykenya #kenyaferry #PSSDTransport #Kenya_Ports #kmakenya #transportKE #maritimeKE pic.twitter.com/EuJJhRh3vy
— Ferry Kenya (@FerryKenya) November 24, 2019
The man was dressed in a white top and a black trouser,he left his seat dashed to the aft prow and dived into the water.
We earnestly send our sympathies to the affected family.#likoniferry #ferrykenya #kenyaferry #PSSDTransport #Kenya_Ports #kmakenya #transportKE #maritimeKE— Ferry Kenya (@FerryKenya) November 24, 2019
The incident comes at a time the Kenya Ferry Services is in scrutiny over recent disturbing incidents.
Read: Near Tragedy In Likoni As KU Bus Slides Off Ferry Ramp Into The Waters – Video
In October, KFS came under heavy criticism after a car slid back from the same MV Harambee vessel and plunged into the ocean claiming the lives of Mariam Kighenda and her four-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu.
KFS was trolled for not having emergency teams on stand by to avert possible tragedies.
It took divers from Kenya Navy and a private South African company 14 days to retrieve the car and the bodies.
The accident was blamed on faulty ferry ramps that do not protect vehicles from sliding off. To date, this is yet to be rectified.
Read Also: Panic At Likoni Ferry As Passenger’s Phone Bursts Into Flames
Slightly over a week ago, a Kenyatta University bus almost sank into the Indian Ocean after it slid off the ferry ramp into the shallow waters.
According to eyewitnesses, passengers and the driver were still in the bus, despite there being a rule that forbids passengers from remaining inside their vehicles while crossing the ferry.
No casualties were reported.
There have also been concerns on why the KFS doesn’t have an emergency team of divers or lifeguards on stand by even as more than 300,000 people risk their lives on poorly maintained vessels daily.
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