A 25-year-old man has drowned after being swept into deep waters by strong ocean tides while swimming at Trade Winds Beach in Diani, Kwale County.
The deceased was identified as Abel Mwafitumuzika, who was swimming alongside his relative, Ivan Nashaka, when the incident occurred on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
According to police, the two were swimming when strong tides suddenly swept Mwafitumuzika into the deep sea.
Members of the Kwale County Beach Rescue Team responded to the incident and managed to retrieve his body from the water.
He was rushed to Diani Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police officers from Diani Police Station, accompanied by Scenes of Crime personnel, visited the hospital and documented the incident.
The body was subsequently transferred to Pandya Memorial Hospital mortuary for preservation pending a postmortem examination.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Elsewhere, a deputy principal and two students wererescued after they were swept away by strong waters while swimming at Customs Beach in Mtwapa, Kilifi County.
A third student remains missing following the incident, which occurred on Sunday, November 8, 2026, during an outing involving approximately 70 students accompanied by their deputy principal.
According to police, three students had entered the water for a swim when they were carried away by the currents and began calling for help.
The deputy principal reportedly plunged into the water in an attempt to rescue them but was overpowered by the strong currents.
He subsequently lost consciousness alongside two of the students before a rescue team from beach operators managed to pull them out of the water.
The deputy principal and the two rescued students were rushed to Grand Hospital in Mtwapa.
The three were reported to be in stable condition and receiving medical attention.
However, the third student, who is deaf and non-verbal, remained unaccounted for, prompting a search operation within and beyond the beach area to establish his whereabouts.
Senior police officers, including the Kilifi South Sub-County Police Commander, the Officer Commanding Mtwapa Police Station and DCI officers, visited the scene.
Investigations into the incident have commenced as the search for the missing student continues.
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