Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki has issued a statement confirming that two Members of Parliament, Ali Wario Guyo of Garsen and Hiribae Said of Buya, among 16 other individuals went missing on December 2.
According to CS Kindiki, the government established contact with the missing individuals and learnt that they were stranded in Tana River as the water banks had busted because of heavy rainfall.
Further, the interior CS stated that all 18 victims were safe in a passenger boat although their exact location was yet to be determined.
“Security agencies have established contact with a passenger in the boat that went missing earlier this evening in the waters of Tana River.
“All the eighteen passengers and crew are so far safe but are stranded at a yet to be established location,” Kindiki stated.
Also Read: 4 Trapped in Raging Waters for 3 Days Beg for Help
The MPs and Passengers go Missing
At the same time, CS Kindiki stated that a multi-agency team was working overnight to find and rescue them.
However, the CS had not issued any update on the mission by the time this article was published.
“A multi-agency search and rescue mission spearheaded by the Kenya Coast Guard is underway overnight,” noted Kindiki.
All 18 missing individuals in the boat spent the night out in the cold after they lost course at around 4 PM. Notably, they left shore on a motorboat.
Additionally, the MPs were on a mission to distribute food to victims in the community who were affected by the heavy rains and to rescue those trapped by floods when they fell into the same trap.
When contacted, one of the MPs narrated that they lost their direction while on their way back to shore and wandered in the water for hours.
Also Read: Two KRA Officials Swept by Floods
Alarmed, they appealed to the government to send a rescue team to save them.
“We need rescuing at this point it is a case of emergency,” stated one of the MPs.
Tana River County Officials on the Ordeal
Tana River County officials confirmed in a statement that certain members of the County Assembly (MCA) were among the 18 individuals trapped in the river.
In addition, Kenya Red Cross Coordinator Hassan Musa disclosed that the missing team got lost when they decided to take a shortcut.
Because of that, the team broke ranks with other rescue teams which led to them losing their way.
