Two local tourists have died after the boat they were travelling in capsized off Mombasa’s Nyali coast at the weekend, in what authorities say may have been a sudden encounter with rough sea conditions.
The vessel, carrying two crew members and five local tourists, had left for Fort Jesus at around 1.30pm on Saturday and was on its way back when it was reportedly struck by strong waves at about 2.45pm, capsizing a short distance from shore.
A multi-agency rescue effort involving the Kenya Coast Guard, Kenya Navy, Kenya Police Service, Kenya Wildlife Service and members of the public was launched soon after. The captain and three of the tourists were rescued and taken to Coast General Hospital, where they are said to be in stable condition. One survivor is understood to have swum to the nearest beach to raise the alarm, helping kick-start the wider rescue operation.
The search for the two missing passengers stretched into the night before their bodies were recovered close to where the boat had gone down. They have been identified as a 38-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman, leaving relatives and friends devastated. The capsized vessel was later towed ashore as investigations into the accident got underway.
Police say the incident remains under investigation, and there have been renewed calls for boat operators along the Coast to exercise greater caution and better time their trips around sea conditions, following a run of similar incidents in recent weeks.
Coast county authorities have in the past pledged to tighten licensing and safety inspections for tour boats operating along the Nyali and Bamburi shoreline, but incidents such as this one continue to raise questions over how strictly those rules are enforced, particularly among smaller operators serving local day-trippers rather than international visitors.
The tragedy is a stark reminder of the risks tied to recreational boat rides along Mombasa’s coastline during periods of rough weather, and is likely to put fresh pressure on county authorities to strengthen safety checks on passenger vessels operating in the area.