The Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) has conducted a search and rescue operation following an accident involving one of its boats which had four crew members on board at Ndere Island in Lake Victoria.
KCGS in a statement on August 31, 2024, said that the search and rescue operation conducted by its team in collaboration with other agencies was successful.
Kenya Coast Guard added that the operation was conducted in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Fisheries Beach Management Unit (BMU) at Ndere Islands, in Lake Victoria.
According to the service, the operation which was launched following the capsizing of patrol boat took eight hours.
“The team safely recovered four KCGS officers following the capsizing of their patrol boat due to mechanical issues leading to sudden water ingress and subsequent capsizing,” read part of the statement.
Kenya Coast Guard said that the officers were returning to their Kisumu station after successfully conducting security patrols in Siaya and Homa Bay general area of operation.
KCGS Resues Four Officers After Boat Accident
Further, the service announced that all officers are currently receiving medical attention and that they are in stable condition, following the rescue mission.
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It highlighted that the swift coordination among the BMUs and agencies involved exemplified the highest standards of maritime safety, making sure that the officers were rescued. The search for the boat wreckage continues.
“As the search for the boat wreckage continues, we are reminded of the vital role that teamwork plays in ensuring the safety of our maritime personnel and waters. Together, we stand committed to safeguarding our maritime resources,” the statement adds.
The incident adds to a list of boat accidents that have been reported in Lake Victoria, especially those of fishermen that have left a trail of fatalities and casualties.
President William Ruto has committed to curbing the incidents.
President Ruto has revealed that the government will launch of a rescue center in Kisumu which will help save lives during accidents as fishermen in the lakeside city go about their activities.
Ruto says Govt to Purchase Chopper to Help Save Lives in Lake Victoria
Ruto made the announcement during a town hall meeting in Kisumu on Thursday, August 29, when he regretted that too many lives are lost in Lake Victoria whenever fishing boats capsize.
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He further promised the deployment of a chopper to provide emergency rescue services for the fishermen in Nyanza.
“We lose close to 5,000 people in Lake Victoria every year because of the kind of gears they are using, the boasts they are using [and] the capsizing that takes place,” he said.
“Again tomorrow, as a region, as East African region we are going to be launching tomorrow a rescue centre that will have all the necessary facilities including further down the road a chopper that can be used to rescue people who have accidents in Lake Victoria,” Ruto said.
Ruto said such interventions are important not just for the economy but for the country’s food security and human capital growth.
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