Five holiday-makers drown in heavy beach tide

Five people have drowned in heavy tides at Diani Beach where thousands of holiday-makers have gathered since early this month.

The five, who are yet to be identified, died on Sunday and Monday as they tried to swim. Their deaths were partly blamed on lack of lifesavers on the crowded beaches.

Three of the five who are all children aged between 10 and 14 drowned on Sunday while two died on Monday at Trade Wings.

Kwale County Kenya Red Cross Society Programme Assistant Mohammed Said yesterday told The Standard that two bodies were retrieved yesterday.

Mr Said said the five might have died due to heavy tides at the ocean occasioned by the windy weather.

“During this time there are heavy tides which make it difficult to swim. Most of those who died are from upcountry and they might be having scanty information on what time to swim,” Said said.

Yesterday Said, Kwale County Commissioner Evans Achoki and other senior County security officials inspected the beach from Trade Wings to Kongo Mosque educating holiday makers on life saving techniques.

Red Cross is partnering with locals in a bid to guard the beaches to ensure those who swim are safe.

“We also want to put a buffer zone somewhere in the water to make sure people do not swim beyond it as we are also putting divers in crucial places,” he said.

Volunteer lifesavers

Mr Achoki noted that Red Cross and volunteer lifesavers will be stationed at three crucial places from today up to January 5.

“We have identified around 15 volunteers who will assist in saving lives because we have noticed that people are drowning especially this festive season,” he said.

He observed that most guests from upcountry need guidance on the beach to avoid further calamities.

Apart from stationing the volunteers and divers, the security team was also planning to have megaphones to alert the public and police when there is an emergency.

“We also ask any well-wisher to come forward and assist in this life saving awareness,” Achoki said, adding that bodies of the five were taken to a morgue in Msambweni.

Achoki also said security has been beefed up along the beach, and he called on those travelling to South Coast for festivities to do so without fear. The Commissioner also urged beach operators to vital information to visitors.

Every year, police say, about 20 people drown along the coastal beaches.

Before the formation of the group, cases of drowning at Jomo Kenyatta Beach where activity runs 24 hours were many, especially during holidays.

To end the cycle, a group of youths formed a lifeguard unit to monitor and rescue swimmers in trouble at the public beach.