State asks for patience as recovery mission continues at Likoni Channel

Government spokesperson Col. (Rtd)? Cyrus Odhiambo Oguna. He has asked Kenyans to be patient as the recovery mission continues at the Likoni Ferry Channel. [File, Standard]

 

Government Spokesperson Col. (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna has asked Kenyans and family of the Likoni Ferry tragedy victims to be patient with the government as recovery mission continues.

 

Oguna has said that today's mission is to ascertain the exact location of the car and the bodies which are feared to be approximately 60 metres underwater.

"First we have to locate the exact position of the vehicle and be a hundred per cent sure that, that is where the car is. Afterwards, we will bring equipment retrieve the car," said Oguna.

According to Oguna, the divers will use a robot to locate the vehicle's position.

The Government spokesperson has said that the conditions underwater have made it difficult to locate the exact position of the vehicle citing darkness and waves as an alibi for the slow response.

"It is not as easy as we would wish to think from a layman's point of view"

Subsequently, Oguna further said the activities of the Likoni Ferry channel has contributed to the delay of the recovery mission since it is the only gate pass for cargo ships into the Mombasa Port.

"Many people are crossing here and halting operations for the whole day means that the economy of Mombasa will be affected. Moreover, we have to put the safety of the divers first."

The recovery efforts have resumed today and operations at the Likoni Channel halted for three hours.

The other option for commuters who will be affected is the Kwale- Kinango- Samburu road or the Dongo Kundu bypass which is hundreds of kilometres away.

A 35-year-old woman, Mariam Kighenda and her four-year-old daughter, Amanda Mutheu are the missing victims who the divers are looking for after their vehicle slid off the ferry and plunged into the Indian Ocean on Sunday evening.

Videos circulated showed their grey saloon car floating half-way on the ocean as it sunk within seconds amid screams from onlookers.

According to eyewitnesses, the driver engaged reverse and the car went off the ferry at high speed.